Before the Next Disaster: What the House of Lords Must Hear About Wildfire Risk

Rob Beeson
Jun 9
5 min read

Updated: Jun 10

As the UK faces an escalating threat from wildfires, we want to share important insights ahead of the upcoming House of Lords debate on "Reducing the risk and mitigating the effects of wildfires." Our experience working directly on the ground in moorland management highlights the critical need for proactive strategies to protect our precious landscapes and communities.

You’ll be able to watch the debate live at https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Lords after 1pm on Thursday 12th June.

The Growing Threat of Wildfires in the UK

Wildfires are becoming an increasingly serious concern across the UK. In 2018 and 2019 alone, wildfires caused more damage than in the entire preceding decade, destroying nearly 50,000 hectares of land in over 200 incidents. 2022 was a record year for large wildfires in England, with nearly a thousand recorded, and the rate of fires in 2025 is already surpassing that record, with over 35,000 hectares burnt by the start of May at an estimated cost of £350 million.

This surge is due to a combination of factors:

Climate Change: Warmer, wetter winters encourage more vegetation growth, while lower relative humidity in summers causes plants to dry out faster, turning them into highly flammable fuel. Experts predict that high-risk days for wildfires in the UK could quadruple by 2080.
Fuel Load Accumulation: A significant increase in dry vegetation, known as "fuel load," is making our moorlands tinderboxes. This is exacerbated by recent policy decisions, including restrictions on traditional land management practices like controlled burning and mowing, which have led to a 73% reduction in fuel load management in some areas. Allowing vegetation to grow unchecked, particularly older heather, leads to more intense fires. Even a reduction in the national sheep flock has contributed, leaving an estimated 600,000 tonnes of extra vegetation annually.

The Devastating Consequences of Wildfires

The impact of uncontrolled wildfires is far-reaching and catastrophic:

Human Health and Safety: Wildfire smoke releases a dangerous cocktail of pollutants, including toxic substances like lead and cadmium that have been deposited on our moorlands over centuries of industrial pollution. The 2018 Saddleworth Moor fire exposed five million people to dangerous pollution and was linked to dozens of premature deaths. Experts warn that future fires could be so intense that they are beyond the capacity of fire and rescue services to control, threatening urban areas with flames and smoke, and risking lives.
Environmental Destruction: Wildfires burn with intense heat, often reaching deep into the carbon-rich peat soils beneath the surface. This not only destroys these vital carbon stores but releases vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change. For example, the Saddleworth Moor wildfire released an estimated half a million tonnes of CO2. UK peat soils hold more carbon than all the trees in Britain and France combined, representing 42% of our entire carbon stock. Wildfires also devastate habitats, endangering rare species, and can contaminate drinking water with ash and sediment.
Economic Costs: Wildfires incur significant financial burdens. As mentioned earlier, the estimated cost of wildfires in 2025 (to start of May) is already £350 million. A single large moorland blaze can cost up to £1 million in firefighting efforts. The Saddleworth Moor fire's total cost was estimated to be between £10-20 million, potentially exceeding £20,000 per hectare when health impacts are included. Overall, the cost per hectare for wildfires in the UK can range from a few hundred pounds to tens of thousands of pounds, depending on severity and location. These costs include emergency response, environmental damage, property loss, lost ecosystem services, and long-term recovery and restoration efforts.

Our Proven Solution: Proactive Land Management

To combat this escalating threat, a pragmatic, long-term, and holistic approach to land management is essential. The Moorland Association strongly advocates for the use of controlled burning and strategic grazing as crucial tools for wildfire prevention.

Controlled Burning: This traditional technique involves carefully planned and executed "cool" and "slow" burns, often in winter, to reduce the build-up of dry vegetation. Unlike destructive wildfires, controlled burns target only the top-most vegetation, preserving the vital carbon-rich peat soils beneath. This process can even be carbon neutral and encourage the growth of mosses, which further aids carbon capture. Controlled burning also creates firebreaks that hinder the spread of larger, uncontrolled blazes. Research from Scotland shows that 96% of wildfires occurred outside areas where controlled burning is carried out, suggesting its effectiveness in reducing risk. Fire chiefs in Scotland and Wales have endorsed its use as a wildfire combatting tool.
Grazing: Like controlled burning, grazing by animals such as sheep can help manage vegetation and reduce fuel loads. Policies in the EU and USA already encourage grazing for wildfire prevention, and similar approaches are needed in the UK.
Firebreaks: Creating a mosaic of vegetation of different ages and heights through practices like controlled burning and mowing helps break up continuous fuel, making it harder for wildfires to spread rapidly.

The Role of Our Moorland Managers

Gamekeepers and moorland managers are the "eyes and ears" on the ground. They are often the first to spot and respond to wildfire outbreaks due to their local presence and extensive knowledge of the terrain. They provide invaluable "no-cost firefighting support," equipped with specialist tools and expertise to tackle fires in remote, inaccessible areas.

They work closely with fire and rescue services, providing advice, sharing local knowledge, assisting with training exercises, and developing site-specific plans to enhance emergency response. These dedicated individuals are passionately committed to preventing wildfires as it is their land and livelihoods that are at risk.

A Call for Informed Action

The current restrictions on vegetation management are a deliberate policy choice that is making catastrophic wildfires more likely. This is not merely negligence but a policy that is adding fuel to the fire. Experts warn that mowing alone may not be sufficient and can even leave dry layers that encourage fire spread.

We urge the government to:

Immediately instruct Natural England to allow unfettered preventative licenses for traditional vegetation management, especially controlled winter burning, and ensure these licenses are granted promptly.
Implement legislation to require rural fuel loads to be reduced to safe levels.
Ensure that Natural England and Defra recruit in-house wildfire experts to guide policymaking.

We must learn from the catastrophic wildfires seen globally and embrace proven fire management techniques. It's time for a collective rethink on how best to tackle this deadly threat.