Huge wildfire shows need for investment in fire services

A huge wildfire south of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands, believed to be one of the biggest in UK history and visible from space, shows the real dangers of the climate emergency and the need for urgent action including “serious investment” in fire services, says the FBU firefighters’ union.

It says wildfires require a significant number of firefighters to respond due to the extensive terrain. They involve physically demanding work over long periods of time, including transporting equipment by hand while being exposed to significant temperatures. Two firefighters were injured tackling this latest blaze.

But a decade of budget cuts has left fire and rescue services stretched for resources as climate-related incidents have increased in frequency and severity.

Since 2010, 11,500 firefighters have been cut across the UK, with 1,100 lost in Scotland alone since 2013, it reported.

“All governments must heed this stark warning: the climate crisis is here now,” said FBU general secretary Matt Wrack.

“We need urgent climate action to prevent loss of life, and that must also include serious investment in our fire services.”