Parliamentary Update: Wildfire Mitigation, Hen Harrier Recovery and Moorland Management
- Rob Beeson
- 8 hours ago
- 8 min read
As we move towards the end of the year, several critical discussions regarding rural policy have taken place in Westminster. For our members and everyone invested in the sustainable management of our uplands, keeping track of government positioning is vital.
Recent Written Parliamentary Questions have shed light on the government’s current stance on wildfire resilience, including the acknowledged role of gamekeepers and farmers in operational responses. Additionally, new figures have been released regarding the costs and outcomes of the Hen Harrier Brood Management Scheme.
Below, we have collated the specific questions asked by MPs and the verbatim responses from Ministers to ensure you have the full picture.
Prescribed Burning and Wildfire Research
Kevin Hollinrake, Conservative: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 85821 on Controlled Burning, what discussions she has had with the Natural Environment Research Council on the publication of its study on the role of prescribed burns in reducing wildfires; and whether her Department has contributed to that study.
Answer: Mary Creagh (25 November 2025): As set out in my answer of 31 October, the National Fire Chiefs’ Council (NFCC) responded to Defra’s consultation on heather and grass burning in England earlier this year. Their response is published on their website. The NFCC’s response was considered as part of the consultation analysis exercise.
I also met with representatives from the NFCC and Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) to discuss their response prior to finalising the amendments to the Heather and Grass etc Burning (England) Regulations 2021. Defra, NFCC and FRS continue to work together in this area. Defra is not involved with the IDEAL UK FIRE project but will consider the outcomes of this study when fully published, as with all new evidence in this area.
Kevin Hollinrake, Conservative: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's policies of the ongoing Natural Environment Research Council study on the role of prescribed burns in reducing wildfires.
Answer: Mary Creagh (3 November 2025): Defra will consider the outcomes of this study when published, as with all new evidence in this area.
Wildfire Smoke and Pollution
Rebecca Smith, Conservative: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the amount of smoke pollution caused by wildfires in the UK in (a) 2024 and (b) in 2025; and if she will make a statement.
Answer: Emma Hardy (26 November 2025): The estimates for emissions from wildfires in 2024 will be published in February 2026, and the estimates for 2025 will be published in February 2027.
Calvin Bailey, Labour: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate the UK Health Security Agency has made of the number of people who died from wildfire smoke in each of the last ten years.
Answer: Ashley Dalton (29 October 2025): The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has not made any estimates of deaths attributable to wildfire smoke in the United Kingdom in each of the last ten years. 19Whilst there is extensive evidence of health impacts from other countries linked to wildfires, there is relatively limited, but growing, evidence specific to the UK. The UKHSA monitors the broader impact of ambient air pollution on mortality in the UK.
Firefighter Safety and NFCC Consultation
Bob Blackman, Conservative: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will meet with the Fire Brigades Union to discuss the safety of firefighters when tackling wildfires.
Answer: Samantha Dixon (17 November 2025): The health and safety of firefighters is of the utmost importance. The government recognises the risks that firefighters face and is grateful to them for their bravery. Fire and rescue authorities, as employers, must take action to protect firefighter physical and mental health, this includes ensuring that firefighters receive the appropriate equipment and training they need.
The government is proactively engaging with the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) alongside other fire and rescue sector stakeholders both at Ministerial and at official level. The FBU is also a member of the Ministerial Advisory Group on Fire and Rescue Reform (MAGFRR) which has been established under this government. The MAGFRR brings together key fire and rescue sector leaders to discuss policy and key issues.
Sir John Hayes, Conservative: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the National Fire Chief's Council consultation response to her Department’s policy on (a) wildfires and (b) risks to firefighters.
Answer: Mary Creagh (29 October 2025): The National Fire Chiefs Council’s response to Defra’s consultation on heather and grass burning in England is already in the public domain. This can be found on their website here.
Wildfire Policy, Planning, and Peat
Calvin Bailey, Labour: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment his Department has made of the risk of wildfires crossing the rural-urban interface in London.
Answer: Samantha Dixon (22 October 2025): Outdoor fires, especially wildfires, are expected by many academics to increase in frequency and impact in the future, predominantly driven by climate change. Wildfires are difficult to predict as risk is based on many factors - such as weather and human activity - and can happen across a wide range of landscapes.
Each fire and rescue authority, including the London Fire Commissioner, is required to plan for the foreseeable risks in their area (including wildfire), through their Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP), and having regard to the views of other key local responders. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) works closely with a wide range of stakeholders including the National Fire Chiefs Council, England and Wales Wildfire Forum and other Departments and Agencies including DEFRA and the Met Office to promote planning and prevention for wildfire incidents in England.
This includes working closely with partners to consider options for enhancing forecasting, monitoring and public communications around wildfire.
Kevin Hollinrake, Conservative: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Chief Fire Adviser on the potential impact of the (a) ban on controlled heather burning on and (b) definition of deep peat on the risk of wildfires.
Answer: Samantha Dixon (31 October 2025): While the regulation of controlled heather burning and the definition of deep peat fall within the responsibility of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which addressed a similar question from the Hon. Member on 11 September 2025 (UIN 76603), the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is the lead government department for wildfire (from 1 April 2025).
The Chief Fire Adviser post ceased with the introduction of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) in 2017. As did my predecessor, I meet regularly with Phil Garrigan, Chair of the NFCC, to discuss a range of issues in fire and resilience, including wildfire. I also understand that NFCC provided input to Defra’s consultation on the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations in 2025.
In December 2021 the Home Office, as the former lead government department for wildfire, published the Wildfire Framework for England. The framework identifies responsibilities, clarifies relationships, and facilitates coordination at the government level and between key wildfire stakeholders in England. MHCLG continues to work with Defra and other partners to ensure that land management and environmental policies are aligned with effective wildfire resilience.
Kevin Hollinrake, Conservative: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the (a) ban on controlled heather burning on deep peat and (b) definition of deep peat on the risk of wildfires.
Answer: Mary Creagh (19 September 2025): Evidence shows that burning is damaging to peatlands and can increase their long-term vulnerability to wildfires. The amendments to The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 significantly increase the area of peatland protected, helping to reduce the impacts of wildfire in the future. The Government’s full response to the public consultation, which includes sections on wildfire and peat depth, can be found here.
Hen Harrier Recovery Schemes
Kevin Hollinrake, Conservative: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to the public purse was of spending by (a) her Department and (b) Natural England on (i) the upland Brood Management Scheme and (ii) the Southern Reintroduction project; and how many hen harrier chicks fledged under each of those schemes.
Answer: Mary Creagh (26 November 2025): These programmes were created as part of the Joint Action Plan for the Recovery of the English Hen Harrier Population, put in place in 2016. 2The Hen Harrier brood management trial and the Southern Reintroduction project were funded by Defra and led by Natural England as part of the Hen Harrier Action Plan.
Natural England spent £80,800 over the five-year (2019-2023) brood management trial.
During the trial 15 nests were brood-managed, and 58 chicks were subsequently released.
Natural England spent £572,272 on the Southern Reintroduction project between March 2021 and October 2025. No chicks fledged in this period. 6
The decision was taken to close the Southern Reintroduction programme this year.
The Role of Land Managers and Livestock
Sammy Wilson, DUP: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the role of (a) farmers and (b) gamekeepers in fighting wildfires.
Answer: Samantha Dixon (21 November 2025): The Government recognises the valuable role that farmers and gamekeepers can play in supporting the response to wildfires. 23Fire and Rescue Services lead the operational response to wildfires in England and work closely with land managers, including farmers and gamekeepers, to share information and coordinate activity where appropriate.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is working closely with the National Resilience Wildfire Advisor, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), Defra and land management bodies to strengthen local partnerships and collaboration.
Matt Vickers, Conservative: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the reduction in the sheep population over the last three years on wildfire risk.
Answer: Dame Angela Eagle (7 November 2025): Defra has made no assessment of the potential impact of the reduction in the sheep population over the last three years on wildfire risk. The sheep sector is an important component of our rural landscape. The size of the flock changes year to year and sheep graze over a wide geographic area across the country, making any assessment difficult to undertake.
Each fire and rescue authority is, however, required to plan for the foreseeable risks in their area (including wildfire), through their Community Risk Management Plan. Since 2024 the Government has funded a National Resilience Wildfire Advisor to assess what additional wildfire national capabilities might be needed to increase resilience to the wildfire risk and to ensure coordination of approaches across the sector.
Conclusion
As these questions demonstrate, the debate around how best to manage our uplands, specifically regarding wildfire risk and species recovery - remains active in Parliament.
The Moorland Association will continue to scrutinise these responses and provide evidence-based advocacy to ensure that the vital work of gamekeepers and land managers is not only recognised but integrated into future wildfire and conservation strategies. We will keep you updated as further studies and reports are published.
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