- 564 wildfires now responded to by fire and rescue services in England and Wales since 1st January.
- 717% increase on wildfire incidents for the same period in 2024.
- Over double the number of incidents for the same period in 2022 which went on to be a record year for wildfires.
- Concerns of growing risk of wildfires in areas where homes and businesses border rural areas.
- Public safety advice includes avoiding the use of disposable barbecues in open countryside, parks, and moorland areas and not discarding cigarettes, matches, or glass bottles, as they can ignite dry vegetation.
- Public safety advice also issued on water safety, as hot weather can lead to a spike in drowning incidents.
Wildfire incidents in England and Wales have already surpassed the 500 mark this year, new data shows. With heatwaves anticipated across the UK in the coming days, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) is urging caution amongst members of the public when enjoying the outdoors in a bid to prevent further spikes in incidents. As the drier weather continues and temperatures rise, there are also concerns that the UK will see more wildfires in areas where homes and businesses border rural areas. The public is also being urged to take care when in, on or around water, with research showing an association between higher air temperatures and an increased risk of drowning.
National Resilience data shows that, as of 19th June, 564 wildfire incidents have been responded to by English and Welsh fire and rescue services so far this year. This is a 717% increase on the same period in 2024 (69) and over double the number seen in 2022 (277) which went on to be the worst year on record for wildfires.
This comes after the Spending Review failed to mention funding for fire and rescue services. Fire and rescue services do not receive protected funding for tackling wildfires, this role falls under their general duties to extinguish fires and must be resourced from core budgets – which are already significantly stretched.
National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Chair, Phil Garrigan, said:
“We are deeply concerned about the escalating threat of wildfires this summer, which have the potential to become more frequent, intense, and dangerous — particularly in areas where communities border the countryside.
“We all need to play our part in protecting each other, our environment and our homes and businesses. We want everyone to enjoy the nice weather, we are just asking that they take extra care when out and about because it only takes one small error to lead to a significant wildfire.
“Fire and rescue services are already under significant pressure, having responded to hundreds of wildfires this year alone. We are incredibly proud of the unwavering commitment and preparedness of our fire and rescue services. However, wildfires are no longer rare or isolated incidents — they are a growing national risk that require a national-level response. Without more adequate and sustained funding, fire and rescue services will continue to be stretched to the limit.”
Most wildfires in the UK are caused by human activity, some accidental and some deliberate. NFCC are amplifying public safety advice, which includes avoiding the use of disposable barbecues in open countryside, parks, and moorland areas and not discarding cigarettes, matches, or glass bottles, as they can ignite dry vegetation.
With summer expected to bring rising temperatures and a continued period of dry weather, it is anticipated that wildfires will increase in the rural urban interface – where land covered in vegetation is in close proximity to buildings, including people’s homes. Fires in these locations pose a greater risk to people as the fire spreads between the nearby vegetation and buildings. The UK has already witnessed the impact of this risk when in July 2022 a wildfire in Wennington in East London destroyed approximately 18 houses.
With drier conditions during this time of year meaning that fires can burn into peat, and can burn for longer, it is likely some fires will take a number of days – rather than hours – to extinguish, causing more damage and placing further pressure on fire and rescue services.
NFCC also said that whilst fire and rescue services remain on high readiness to respond to incidents across the country, responding to these incidents requires a significant amount of resources, often over prolonged periods of time – making the maintenance of normal 999 response coverage extremely difficult.
Across 18th and 19th July 2022, the hottest days of that year, 84 wildfires were recorded, and 14 fire and rescue services declared major incidents, 9 of which were linked to difficulties in responding due to the increase in operational demand. Meanwhile control rooms experienced a 500% increase in 999 calls.
With the hot weather likely to mean more people spend time near water, NFCC is urging people to take extra care, avoiding jumping into the water to cool off and ensuring children are supervised at all times. As air temperatures rise, water remains cold and many people are unaware of the associated risks of entering the water, such as cold water shock which can affect your ability to swim and lead to drowning. Recent research, including that conducted by the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) and by Bournemouth University, shows the association between air temperature and the risk of accidental drowning. When the air temperature is 25°C or above the risk of accidental drowning is five times higher than when compared to days with an average temperature of 10°C, and every year there is a spike in drownings during hot weather.
Wildfires Public Safety Advice:
- Avoid using disposable barbecues in open countryside, parks, and moorland areas.
- Do not discard cigarettes, matches, or glass bottles, as they can ignite dry vegetation.
- Follow local authority guidance on fire risks and restrictions.
- If you notice any suspicious behaviour or see someone intentionally starting a fire, contact the Police immediately or report the information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. If there is a fire, call 999 immediately.
- Report any signs of fire immediately by calling 999 and asking for the Fire and Rescue Service.
Water Safety Public Safety Advice:
- Take care when near water – in 2023 37% of people who drowned were running or walking and had no intention of entering the water
- Do not jump into water to cool off
- Ensure you actively supervise children in and near water
- Do not enter the water if you have been drinking alcohol
Make sure you know how to help yourself and other people in the event of a water-related emergency.
If you see someone else in trouble in the water this summer, remember Call, Tell, Throw:
- Call 999 to get help
- Tell the struggling person to float on their back
- Throw them something that floats
If you find yourself in trouble in the water, Float to Live by:
- Tilting your head back with ears submerged
- Relaxing – to try to control your breathing
- Moving your hands to help stay afloat
- Once over the initial shock, calling for help or swimming to safety
ENDS
Notes
- National Resilience data showing the number of wildfire incidents responded to by Fire and Rescue Services in England and Wales for the period of 1st January to 19th June 2025 (as of 9am on Thursday 19th June), and for the same period in each of the previous five years is as follows:
- 2025: 564
- 2024: 69
- 2023: 213
- 2022: 277
- 2021: 189
- NFCC’s StayWise education platform has resources for children and young people on staying safe around water.
- Last week’s Spending Review did not mention fire and rescue services. Firefighter numbers have fallen in England by 25% since 2008, the equivalent of 11,000 wholetime firefighters. FRS workforce stats are available here. Wholetime is a specific term to FRSs – it means it is their main job and that they are permanently based at a fire station (as opposed to on call). English FRSs previously received capital funding from government in recognition of the need to maintain the integrity and quality of the buildings through which our firefighters protect the public. This was ringfenced money. This was removed in 2014/15. In today’s world that loss of investment equates to circa £90m per annum, and so in just over a decade the FRS has collectively lost nearly £1bn in capital funding.
- Research by the Royal Life Saving Society and further research from Bournemouth University setting out the association between air temperatures and the risk of drowning can be found here and here respectively.
- The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) is a charity and an independent membership association and the professional voice of the UK Fire and Rescue Service. NFCC supports fire and rescue services to help them to save lives and keep their local communities safe.