More funding needed to deal with wildfires

The FBU firefighters’ union has warned that UK fire services do not have the resources to keep the public safe. The warning came after two significant wildfires broke out within 24 hours in Dorset and Edinburgh last month.

The union says funding cuts have left firefighters without enough crews and resources. “Wildfires are intensive and dangerous incidents, requiring large numbers of firefighters and specialist equipment and resources,” said FBU general secretary Steve Wright.

“These incidents are on the rise as a result of the climate emergency and, as the last 24 hours have shown, they are happening in areas across the UK.”

He said that after over a decade of budget cuts, with one in five firefighter posts axed, fire and rescue services do not have the resources to cope.

“To protect the public, the government must provide the investment needed to address this crisis and rebuild resilience.”

The union previously warned that alongside the increase in wildfires, as well as flooding — incidents fuelled by the climate crisis — a rise in e-bike and e-scooter fires are adding to the pressure on fire and rescue services.

The Office for Product Safety reported there were at least 211 e-scooter and e-bike fires in 2024 — including five that caused fatalities — compared to 26 in 2020.

Lithium-ion battery fires are particularly challenging to extinguish, potentially causing explosions and the release of flammable gases, the union added.