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UK suffers worst ever year for wildfires with total set to eclipse 1,000
Wildfire incidents in England and Wales have nearly doubled since 2023, straining fire services amid a 25% reduction in firefighters since 2008, officials said.
- Firefighters across England and Wales have attended a record-breaking 996 wildfires so far in 2025, exceeding the previous high of 994 incidents recorded in 2022.
- The surge in wildfires stems from four summer heatwaves and a dry spring that created tinderbox conditions this year.
- Major incidents like the Holt Heath fire in Dorset, which spread across 72 hectares in August, required personnel from 47 of 50 local fire stations and reinforcements nationwide.
- Phil Garrigan, chairman of the NFCC, highlighted that the recent wildfires have kept firefighter teams continuously occupied for several days, imposing significant physical and emotional strain on them, while also raising worries about service capabilities amid a 25% decline in firefighter numbers since 2008.
- The record wildfire demand highlights increasing pressure on fire services as incident volumes rose 20% since 2014, emphasizing ongoing challenges from the climate emergency.
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UK Suffers Worst Ever Year For Wildfires - With Total Set To Eclipse 1,000 - Great Yorkshire Radio
The previous high was 994 in 2022, according to the National Resilience programme. Nineteen of those were in the final three months, so this year’s total is expected to top 1,000. Phil Garrigan, chair of the National Fire Chief Council (NFCC), said the wildfires had tied up crews “for days on end” and taken “a real human toll on the firefighters”. Four summer heatwaves and a lack of rain have helped produce tinderbox conditions in many areas. A …
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Total News Sources8
Leaning Left3Leaning Right1Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution43% Left, 43% Center
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources lean Left, 43% of the sources are Center
43% Center
L 43%
C 43%
14%
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