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Fire safety for London’s urban gardens: Innovations and essential strategies for compliance and protection in 2025

fire safety for London’s urban gardens: in this article you will learn the key innovations, legal responsibilities and practical steps property managers and facilities teams must take to reduce fire risk in 2025. This guide explains how to assess hazards, choose safer materials, integrate detection and suppression technology, and meet current regulatory expectations for shared and communal outdoor spaces.

 

Why fire safety for London’s urban gardens matters now

Urban gardens, green roofs and living walls are essential for London’s climate resilience and quality of life. However, they also introduce new fire considerations. Drought periods, dry planting media and increased use of external heating and lighting can raise ignition risk. In addition, living façades and dense planting can allow fire to spread quickly over surfaces if they are not designed or maintained correctly.

Responsible persons — landlords, building owners, managing agents and facilities managers — must therefore treat external landscaping as part of a building’s fire strategy. GOV.UK guidance makes it clear that those in control of premises must carry out and regularly review fire risk assessments. Fire safety responsibilities for businesses remains the starting point when allocating duties and planning mitigation.

 

Assessing risk: what to check in urban green spaces

Start any work with a focused fire risk assessment that includes outdoor and semi-enclosed spaces. Look for ignition sources such as barbecues, external heaters, electrical lighting, temporary power supplies and discarded smoking materials. Also inspect plant types and irrigation systems. Some living wall systems depend on constant irrigation; if irrigation fails, vegetation can dry and become highly combustible.

A good assessment will include:

Identify likely ignition points and combustible materials.

Evaluate the potential for vertical and horizontal fire spread.

Consider how people would evacuate across terraces, courtyards and roof gardens.

Assess access for fire and rescue services and recommend practical mitigation measures.

If you need professional support, Total Safe UK can deliver a tailored fire risk assessment for communal spaces and buildings. See how a specialist approach works in practice with a dedicated Fire Risk Assessment from Total Safe UK.

 

Design and materials: reducing fire spread on façades and green installations

Choosing low-risk materials pays dividends. Use planting media and structural materials with low calorific value. Avoid woody species with resins or high oil content where they could form continuous fuel. Where living walls meet building façades, specify non-combustible fixings and create horizontal and vertical fire breaks to prevent rapid spread.

Standards such as PAS 9980:2022 provide a method for appraising the fire risk of external walls and attachments. Use recognised guidance when specifying living façades and green roofs. For technical context, BSI’s coverage of external wall appraisal and fire alarm standards helps ensure designs align with current best practice. British Standards Institution resources explain how revised standards affect system design and compliance.

Practical steps to reduce material risk:

Segregate combustible planting into smaller panels with non-combustible borders.

Adopt irrigation systems with fail-safe alarms to prevent prolonged drying.

Remove dead material promptly and maintain a routine clearing schedule.

Design planter layouts to avoid channelling flames toward windows, vents or rooflights.

 

Detection and early warning: innovative approaches for outdoor spaces

Early detection is vital. Standard building fire alarms may not always cover external terraces or roof gardens. Consider multi-sensor solutions that combine smoke, heat and optical detection tuned for outdoor conditions. New wireless and mesh-network detectors simplify installation on rooftops and in courtyards without extensive cabling.

Integrated monitoring platforms can aggregate signals from indoor and outdoor detectors. They then trigger staged responses: audible alarms, automated sprinkler pre-action, or alerting a duty team. These smart systems reduce false alarms while improving response times.

Total Safe UK provides installation and maintenance services for detection systems suitable for complex sites. Find out about comprehensive fire alarm solutions on the Total Safe UK Fire Alarm System Installation and Maintenance page.

 

Suppression and mitigation: sprinklers, water systems and portable options

Where feasible, extending water-based suppression to outdoor spaces can dramatically reduce risk. Design considerations include freeze protection, water quality and pressure. For rooftop planters or green roofs, consider dedicated pre-action sprays or deluge nozzles that can be isolated from internal systems. These should be specified and commissioned in line with relevant standards.

Portable suppression options also have a role. Provide trained staff and accessible extinguishers rated for vegetation and electrical fires. For venues that host events, portable suppression and sufficient hose reels can be part of the site’s temporary safety plan.

When planning suppression, coordinate with local fire and rescue services. Balancing water use against drainage and plant health requires an interdisciplinary approach involving landscape and fire engineers.

 

Operational controls: managing human behaviour and temporary events

Most garden fires start from human activity. Good operational controls are therefore essential. Implement rules around the use of open flames, barbecues and sky lanterns — the NFCC strongly advises against sky lanterns and offers guidance on open-air fire risks.

Establish smoking policies and designated smoking areas with safe receptacles. Permit only approved electrical and lighting equipment with PAT testing and secure cabling. Ensure event risk assessments and crowd management for temporary activities are in place.

The NFCC wildfire prevention advice and the National Fire Chiefs Council’s Wildfire Aware campaign provide clear guidance on preventing and responding to outdoor fires. Use that guidance when issuing local rules and communicating with residents or visitors.

 

Maintenance and inspections: keeping green infrastructure safe over time

Maintenance protects both people and investment. Schedule regular inspections that cover irrigation, plant health, structural supports and fire separation details. Document inspections and remedial actions within the building’s fire safety records. This documentation supports compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and recent building safety measures that emphasise external wall and façade appraisal.

Key maintenance tasks include:

Clear debris and dead growth promptly.

Service irrigation systems to ensure uptime and leak detection.

Test external detector nodes and communication links.

Check access routes for firefighting equipment remain unobstructed.

If you lack in-house capability, engage competent contractors for a planned maintenance programme and keep records of all work performed.

 

Training, emergency planning and evacuation for outside spaces

Evacuation across terraces and gardens can be complex. Plans must consider routes from indoor spaces through external areas, and vice versa. Staff should understand roles in an outdoor emergency, including cordoning off hazards, assisting vulnerable people and liaising with emergency services.

Run regular drills that include outdoor evacuation routes. Ensure communication systems reach external spaces, and test portable radios and public address systems. Provide clear signage and lighting for night-time use.

GOV.UK guidance on fire safety and evacuation planning explains what employers and responsible persons must cover in their emergency plans. It is a practical checklist for preparing safe exits and meeting points. Fire safety and evacuation planning guidance

 

Legal duties sit with the responsible person. Complying with the Fire Safety Order, the Fire Safety Act 2021 and Building Safety Act provisions is essential. These statutes extend risk assessments to include external walls and attachments, so landscape features and living façades must be covered.

In addition to statutory law, reference the appropriate British Standards and industry guidance. For example, PAS 9980 provides a method for appraising external wall fire risk. Similarly, updates to fire alarm standards such as BS 5839-1:2025 affect how detection systems are designed and maintained. Use recognised technical standards when specifying products and commissioning installations.

For technical standards and the latest updates, consult the BSI standards and guidance which will help you align projects with current best practice.

 

Case study: practical measures for a mixed-use courtyard

A London block with a communal courtyard and roof garden faced repeated concerns about smoking and occasional barbecues. The responsible person took these steps:

Commissioned a targeted fire risk appraisal covering external areas and living walls.

Installed weather-rated wireless multi-sensor detectors linked to the building’s alarm panel.

Upgraded planter layouts to incorporate non-combustible separating bands and improved irrigation with low-water alarms.

Created a clear policy banning sky lanterns and restricting barbecues to a sheltered, supervised area.

Implemented monthly inspections and an annual test with the local fire authority.

These actions reduced incident reports and improved resident confidence. They also created a clear audit trail to demonstrate reasonable steps for compliance.

 

Next steps: a checklist for property teams

Use this practical checklist to get started:

Include external green spaces in your next fire risk assessment.

Review plant species and planter construction for combustible materials.

Consider outdoor-capable detection and integrate with internal systems.

Install or adapt suppression and water supplies where appropriate.

Implement clear operational controls for smoking, barbecues and events.

Schedule maintenance and keep records of inspections and repairs.

Train staff on outdoor evacuation routes and emergency procedures.

Consult local fire and rescue services where needed.

If you would like specialist help, Total Safe UK offers tailored fire safety audits and systems installation for complex sites. Their team can assess your external spaces and produce an action plan that aligns with legal duties and recognised standards. Explore Total Safe UK fire safety services

 

Conclusion

Fire safety for London’s urban gardens requires a joined-up approach. Design, materials, detection, suppression and behaviour all matter. By integrating external spaces into your fire risk assessment and following recognised standards you can reduce the likelihood of ignition and limit spread if a fire does start. Regular maintenance and clear operational controls are essential in 2025 and beyond. If you are responsible for a communal garden, rooftop terrace or living façade, treat it as part of your building’s fire safety system and act now to protect people and property.

 

FAQ

Q: Do I need to include outdoor gardens in my building’s fire risk assessment?

A: Yes. The responsible person must cover external walls, attachments and communal outdoor areas when assessing fire risk. Ensure the assessment records specific hazards and mitigations for those spaces.

Q: Can living walls be made safe from a fire perspective?

A: They can be managed to reduce risk by using low-calorific planting, non-combustible fixings, irrigation with alarms, and fire breaks. However, each system requires an individual appraisal, often following PAS 9980 principles.

Q: Are sky lanterns legal to release from shared housing estates?

A: Sky lanterns remain strongly discouraged by fire authorities because they are an uncontrolled flame. Many local authorities and the NFCC advise against their use and some areas restrict them under local orders.

Q: What detection is best for a roof garden?

A: Use outdoor-rated multi-sensor detectors or wireless mesh sensors linked to your main alarm system. These minimise false alarms while providing early warning. Commissioning should follow the latest fire alarm guidance for reliability.

Q: Who can help me prepare a compliant outdoor fire strategy?

A: Engage a competent fire safety consultant or a BAFE-registered provider. Total Safe UK can conduct risk appraisals, install detection systems and provide maintenance to ensure compliance and safety.