Moorland Association Submits Evidence to National Heat Risk Commission
Photo by Scott Wicking
Quick summary
The Moorland Association has submitted evidence to the National Heat Risk Commission on heat, drought and wildfire.
The submission argues wildfire should be an integral part of the UK’s national response to heat and drought.
It calls for managing vegetation and fuel loads before fires start, not relying mainly on emergency response.
Wildfires harm communities, water, infrastructure and wildlife; the Commission’s final report is expected next summer.
The Moorland Association has submitted detailed evidence to the National Heat Risk Commission, setting out the important role that active land management can play in helping the UK prepare for the growing risks associated with extreme heat, drought and wildfire.
Why the Moorland Association responded
The National Heat Risk Commission is an independent commission established in 2026 to examine how the UK can become more resilient to the growing risks posed by extreme heat.
Based at the Grantham Research Institute at the London School of Economics, it is chaired by Emma Howard Boyd CBE, former Chair of the Environment Agency.
Importantly for the uplands, the Commission’s call for evidence specifically asked organisations about the companion hazards of drought and wildfire, as well as extreme heat.
This was therefore an important opportunity for the Moorland Association to ensure that the practical experience of those managing large areas of the English and Welsh uplands forms part of that discussion.
Our submission draws together evidence from members, published research, government and parliamentary reports, wildfire incidents and the Association’s own analysis. It also incorporates evidence and practical experience contributed by members and other specialists during the preparation of the response.
It makes the case that wildfire should be considered as an integral part of the national response to heat and drought, particularly in upland landscapes where prolonged dry conditions can rapidly increase the risk of large and damaging fires.
Reducing wildfire risk before a fire starts
A central theme of the submission is the importance of managing vegetation and fuel loads before a wildfire occurs. The evidence highlights the need for land managers, fire and rescue services, conservation bodies and government agencies to be able to work together to reduce risk, rather than relying principally on emergency response once a fire has started.
The submission also examines some of the practical and regulatory barriers that can make preventative management more difficult. It argues that future policy needs to recognise the relationship between climate, vegetation, fuel load and wildfire behaviour, and to ensure that those responsible for managing land have access to an appropriate range of evidence-based tools.
It also calls for continuing investment in prevention, better coordination of permissions and responsibilities, practical measures to protect workers and communities, and clearer measurement of whether resilience measures are actually being delivered.
A risk to communities, nature and the economy
Wildfire is not simply an environmental issue. Severe fires can affect communities, firefighters, water supplies, infrastructure, businesses, public health and carbon emissions, as well as habitats and wildlife. The costs can continue long after a fire itself has been extinguished.
The Association has therefore sought to provide the Commission with both scientific evidence and practical examples from the uplands. Our submission draws on the experience of those who manage these landscapes directly, alongside evidence gathered through the Association’s wider work on wildfire resilience.
Putting practical experience before policymakers
Our purpose in responding has been straightforward: to ensure that decisions about future national resilience are informed by what is happening on the ground and by the experience of those who have responsibility for managing these landscapes.
We are grateful to everyone who contributed information, evidence and expertise during the preparation of the response.
The National Heat Risk Commission will now consider submissions as part of its wider work on the UK’s preparedness for extreme heat and associated risks. Its final report and recommendations are expected next summer.
Read the full submission
In the interests of transparency, the Moorland Association is making its full submission available to members and the wider public.
