Military planes and helicopters will be equipped to fight wildfires after Britain faced a summer of extreme heat. Andy Burnham announced the RAF's Chinook helicopters and A400M aircraft will be prepared to help crews across the UK battle blazes on remote moorland, steep hillsides and other hard-to-reach terrain.
Ministers are ramping up plans to prepare for extreme and severe weather in the UK, from the blazing heatwaves earlier this year to the challenges El Niño could bring this winter. On Thursday evening, Mr Burnham said he will "never forget" seeing the devastation in Stourbridge this summer, where fires destroyed 19 homes. At a major wildfire summit on Friday, the PM will meet fire chiefs, local leaders and experts to make sure this summer's scenes are never repeated.
Summit to Assess Lessons from Abroad
Sources told the Mirror the summit will include assessing how the UK can learn lessons from other countries that have long battled unpredictable conditions. "This is about preparing for extreme weather for years ahead," one insider said.
Mr Burnham 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."
£45m Funding and New AI Unit
As part of the wildfire preparation plans, £45million has been announced to boost England's firefighters with additional specialist teams and wildfire-specific personal protective equipment. A new Wildfires AI Unit will also be established in Cobra's national situation centre, bringing together top universities, tech firms and government to spot and fight fires faster.
Ministers also vowed to invest in making landscapes more resilient, including a £25million injection 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.
Be Ready Campaign Launched
Meanwhile, Security Minister Dan Jarvis on Thursday launched a public awareness campaign to ensure British families are aware of how to stay prepared if everyday services are temporarily disrupted by extreme weather or other events like cyberattacks. The "Be Ready" campaign urges Brits to keep a small supply at home, including non-perishable food and bottled water, and to sign up to the Priority Services Register, a service that helps gas, water, and electricity companies identify customers that may need extra support in an emergency.
Katie White, Minister for Climate Transition, 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."
The National Trust has reacted to this news, and Hilary McGrady, Director-General of the National Trust, has written a passionate opinion piece for the Mirror expressing its stance.
Be Ready Checklist
The campaign provides a checklist of items to keep at home, including bottled water for three days at three litres per person per day for drinking, non-perishable food for three days such as tinned meat, fish or vegetables, hygiene products, a torch with spare batteries, blankets, an FM radio, cash, a first aid kit, baby formula and nappies, and pet food and bottled water.
