‘National priority’ to equip UK firefighters amid growing wildfire threat

A firefighter tackels a blaze on Tintwistle Moor. Photograph: Ryan Jenkinson/ View image in fullscreen A firefighter tackels a blaze on Tintwistle Moor. Photograph: Ryan Jenkinson/ ‘National priority’ to equip UK firefighters amid growing wildfire threat Exclusive: FBU calls for more funding as ‘unprecedented summer’ puts rising demands on already stretched crews Firefighters in the UK are under increased pressure as a result of an “unprecedented summer of dangerous and volatile wildfires”, the Fire Brigades Union has said, as many parts of the country brace for a fifth heatwave of the year. As authorities declared almost three-quarters of England was now in drought, Steve Wright, the FBU general secretary, said the unpredictable environmental challenges the UK was now confronted with meant it was a “national priority” to have enough properly equipped firefighters to “face these threats”. More than 120 firefighters continued to tackle a blaze in the New Forest national park in Hampshire that began on Sunday. Nottinghamshire fire and rescue service declared a major incident on Sunday as two large fires in woodland near Mansfield put a significant strain on resources there. Emergency calls to the London fire brigade have increased by almost a third this summer as firefighters have battled a surge in wildfires and flooding in the capital, according to an internal briefing seen . The document warned that the brigade had come under mounting pressure from extreme weather and predicted the trend would continue because of the climate crisis. Between 1 April and 9 July, the service received 75,652 emergency calls – 31% more than the previous five-year average – while the number of incidents rose by nearly a quarter to 42,943. London firefighters responded to 392 wildfires during the period, alongside 68 water rescues, the briefing said, as repeated spells of hot weather and heavy thunderstorms stretched the service’s resources. The climate breakdown has been linked to the increasing frequency of wildfires, burning larger areas, across many parts of the world. The so-called “fire wave” under way in the UK is the most widespread the country has ever seen, with the combination of wet winters and prolonged heatwaves exacerbating the risk. In recent weeks, there have been large blazes in places including Dunwich Heath in Suffolk, Headon Warren on the Isle of Wight, Llanwonno in the Rhondda valley in south Wales, and the Cairngorms national park in Scotland. The National Drought Group, which met on Monday, said 71.3% of England was now experiencing a “flash drought”, which develops very quickly brought about by a combination of very low rainfall and higher temperatures.