UK firefighters have warned that 2025 is on track to surpass the national record for wildfires, with frontline staff “pushed to their limits” by climate-fuelled blazes. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) reported that crews in England and Wales have already tackled 856 wildfires this year—a third higher than the record-breaking totals seen in 2022 and six times the number recorded last year.
On Wednesday, a major incident was declared in the North York Moors national park, with 20 fire engines deployed to tackle at least 5 sq km of moorland that has been burning since Monday. This follows similar incidents over the weekend in Dorset and Wiltshire, and a blaze at Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh.
NFCC chair Phil Garrigan said firefighters were “already being pushed to their limits”, with recent major incidents “showing just how demanding and dangerous these events can be”. He noted that each wildfire can take days or weeks to bring under control, tying up crews and specialist equipment, and placing huge strain on other vital fire and rescue work.
Garrigan highlighted the impact of sustained cuts in funding and reducing firefighter numbers, with 11,000 fewer firefighters in England than a decade ago, alongside a 20% increase in demand. He called for “long-term, sustained investment” to ensure services have the resources needed to protect communities.
The NFCC urged the public not to use barbecues in open countryside, parks, or moorland, and to avoid discarding cigarettes, matches, or glass bottles, which can ignite dry vegetation. Meanwhile, researchers noted that sea temperatures off the Yorkshire coast are 2C higher than in the 1980s, likely breaking records in 2025, with the North Sea warming faster than other areas.
