The RAF’s Chinook helicopters and A400M aircraft will be equipped so they can fight fires and are ready, when requested, to help crews across the UK battle blazes on remote moorland, steep hillsides and other hard-to-reach terrain.
Firefighters on the front line in England will be boosted by additional specialist wildfire teams and state of the art, wildfire-specific, light weight personal protective equipment, backed by up to £45million, meaning those who work tirelessly to protect others can stay also safe. Unlike their current kit, which is primarily designed for fires in buildings and not meant to be worn for a long time, this will be lighter and more breathable so firefighters can wear for longer periods when tackling wildfires.
To stop these fires from happening to begin with, the government will invest more money to make landscapes more resilient. This includes £25 million to restore dried-out peatlands in England so they hold more water and act as natural firebreaks, as well as financial support for farmers to fireproof their land, through digging ponds and removing burnable materials in high-risk areas.
The government will also look at tougher local restrictions or product bans to stop people starting fires when the risk is high.
The package comes ahead of today’s summit, where the Prime Minister will meet fire chiefs, local leaders and experts to make sure this summer’s scenes are never repeated.
The Prime Minister said:
I stood in Stourbridge and watched families lose everything. I will never forget it. Our firefighters were heroes that day, but heroes shouldn’t have to fight with one hand tied behind their backs.
Crews will now have the kit they need to stay safe and military aircraft will stand ready to help tackle wildfires from the sky. We cannot put people through another summer like this one.
Communities Secretary Angela Rayner said:
The wildfires we’ve faced this year have been unrelenting, leaving a devastating impact on communities, homes and our precious countryside.
We’ve heard loud and clear from communities, experts and emergency services that more needs to be done. That’s why we’re taking immediate action now, while working across government and the sector to build a stronger, more resilient national response to wildfires for the future.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said:
As the threat of wildfires in the UK grows, defence will step up to provide greater support to our emergency services and protect military training areas across the country.
This will see the RAF’s Chinook helicopters and A400M aircraft equipped with new specialist firefighting equipment to enable them to tackle wildfires from the skies for the first time.
Other measures announced today include:
- A new Wildfires AI Unit in COBR’s National Situation Centre, bringing together top universities, tech firms and government to spot and fight fires faster
- Work with the Met Office on better wildfire forecasts and risks, helping improve public awareness and prevention.
- To develop England’s first Wildfire Action Plan, covering prevention, preparedness, response and recovery
- Closer work with the Devolved Governments to foster greater alignment, shared expertise and global best practice
Businesses including Airbus, Google and VodafoneThree will also attend today’s summit, setting out how technology from satellite monitoring and early warning to connectivity and aerial capability can help communities better prepare for and respond to wildfires.
As well as hosting today’s summit, the government will also convene an interministerial meeting between UK and devolved governments to better coordinate and strengthen the country’s response to wildfires across all corners of the UK.
Today’s summit also comes after the government hosted the world’s first Climate and Nature Security Taskforce meeting for the first time last month. The Taskforce will establish the most significant climate and nature security risks facing the UK and shape government’s approach to tackling these challenges, ensuring Britain can best prepare itself for the climate crisis.
Additional Quotes
First Secretary of State, Louise Haigh, said:
The UK has world-leading expertise in the application of new technologies to track and tackle wildfires. By bringing together the work of the National Situation Centre, leading academic institutions and our international partners, we are building a centre of excellence at the heart of government that will share best practice and strengthen our national preparedness.
Environment Secretary, Dame Angela Eagle said:
The wildfires that tore through our countryside this summer showed the urgent need to adapt to our changing climate.
Nature is our greatest ally in preventing wildfires starting in the first place, with healthy landscapes keeping more moisture in the ground to stop fires spreading.
That’s why we are stepping in and investing £25 million to restore peatlands as well as backing farmers to deliver natural fire safety measures on their land.
Minister for Climate Transition Katie White said:
Anyone who thinks climate change is a problem for our children and grandchildren, rather than here and now, should spend a shift with a firefighter. This summer, crews battled devastating wildfires in extreme heat, risking their lives to protect the places we love. The threat is already here, staring us in the face.
We can’t stop every wildfire, flood or storm, but we can make sure Britain is ready. This summit is about better equipping our brave emergency services, protecting our people, and building a stronger country, whatever the weather.
Kata Escott, Managing Director, Airbus Defence and Space UK & Head of UK Public Affairs:
Today’s Wildfire Summit is an important step toward strengthening wildfire preparedness and prevention in the UK. With our life saving capabilities, we are supporting the UK effort in the air, in the digital domain, and with our early warning assets in space.
Nick Gliddon, Chief Business Officer, VodafoneThree:
Connectivity is critical to national resilience, helping communities access trusted information, emergency services coordinate and areas recover from disruption. At VodafoneThree, we combine resilient connectivity with network as a sensor technology, data, partnerships, and practical action to strengthen preparedness. Through our work with the National Emergencies Trust and National Parks UK, including a new wildfire resilience programme in the Cairngorms National Park, we are supporting local recovery and resilience to future fires. Bringing together connectivity, local expertise and long-term investment can help communities prepare, stay connected during emergencies and recover faster.
Further Information
The investment announced by the Prime Minister today will allow the Ministry of Defence to develop, for the first time, an aerial firefighting capability permanently based in the UK. In addition, civilian fire and rescue services across all four nations will continue to be able to request firefighting support through the Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) process.
The new Peatland Restoration Grant Scheme will be run by Natural England and is expected to run from April 2027 to April 2029, building on the successful Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme.
As the second largest landowner in the UK, the MOD requires an aerial firefighting capability to adapt to the increased risk of wildfires facing the country.