Fire Chiefs Warn Against Burning Ban as Government Pushes Ahead

The Telegraph have published an article describing how Labour ministers have pressed ahead with new restrictions on controlled burning in the uplands, despite repeated warnings from fire chiefs and scientists that the move could put the public at greater risk of wildfires.

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) told Defra in this letter that banning winter burns on deep peat could “inadvertently lead to increased fire loads and the risk of larger, more intense wildfires.” Fire officers warned that limiting land managers’ ability to reduce fuel loads would compromise Fire and Rescue Services’ preparedness and response, stretching already limited resources and increasing danger to firefighters and the public.

Controlled burning has long been recognised as an effective tool to manage vegetation and reduce the severity of wildfires. In recent years, major blazes have broken out in areas where burning was already restricted, including the 2018 Saddleworth Moor fire, one of the largest in the country.

Despite this, the Government is extending its 2021 ban on burning heather in areas of “deep peat.” The original definition of deep peat was 40cm, covering 222,000 hectares. Under the new rules, this threshold will be reduced to 30cm, increasing the area affected to 368,000 hectares. The restrictions allow burning only in exceptional cases.

Gamekeepers and landowners argue that the changes will leave Britain’s moors dangerously overgrown and turn them into a tinderbox. Their view is supported internationally - in June, G7 leaders endorsed controlled burning as a proven method of wildfire prevention.

Concerns are also shared by scientists. A team at the University of Exeter’s Wildfire Lab, leading a £2.5 million government-funded study, wrote to Defra asking them to pause the decision until their research is completed. They warned that alternative interventions are poorly understood and could “do more harm than good.”

The NFCC acknowledged the environmental impacts of burning but stressed that uncontrolled wildfires cause far greater damage, releasing more smoke and carbon across larger areas.

The clash between ministers, scientists, fire chiefs, and land managers highlights the high stakes for upland communities. At the heart of the debate is a simple question: how best to manage our moors to balance conservation with the safety of people, wildlife, and the land itself.

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