Wildfire committee urges national strategy and aerial capability

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has urged the government to adopt a national wildfire strategy, restrict disposable barbecues during high-risk periods and develop domestic aerial firefighting capability, following a severe 2026 fire season. The committee also called for public-awareness campaigns and implementation plans for aerial resources by January 2027. Fire and rescue services in England and Wales had attended 1,132 wildfires by August 16, more than the total recorded throughout 2025, according to figures reported by the committee and other accounts. A major blaze in Stourbridge destroyed 19 homes. An emergency alert warning of very high wildfire risk was sent to mobile phones across England and Wales on August 14. The committee said fires should no longer be treated as rare or exceptional events and called for a coordinated national response. Its recommendations include consistent public guidance, wildfire risk indicators in weather forecasts, temporary national restrictions on disposable barbecues during periods of elevated danger, and financial support for fire wardens in high-risk areas. It also urged the government to consider the different...