Firefighters have issued a stern warning to smokers after a cigarette caused a house's decking to catch fire.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service is advising residents to make sure cigarettes are properly stubbed out.
It comes after a discarded cigarette caused a fire in Clacton earlier today.
Crews from Clacton, Weeley, Brightlingsea and Colchester were called to Beach Way, Jaywick at 12:19pm.
On arrival, crews reported that the decking outside of a derelict house was on fire and producing lots of smoke.
Firefighters worked to extinguish the fire by 1:10pm.
Station Manager Jeremy Tuckwell said: “Please make sure to stub cigarettes out properly before discarding them - especially in this hot and dry weather we will see carrying on throughout the week.
"It only takes a small ember to ignite dry grass and plants during hot weather."
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