Toxic Wildfire Must Be Prevented – And We Have The Tools

The Guardian’s recent article (“Toxic wildfire pollution infiltrates homes of 1bn people a year, study finds”, 14 May) highlights the growing global threat posed by uncontrolled wildfires and the devastating scale of smoke pollution now affecting human health.

We agree this is a serious issue - and it is precisely why traditional moorland management practices, including controlled burning, are more relevant than ever.

As the science proves, the smoke produced from planned, low-intensity controlled burns is vastly different from the toxic plumes created by intense, uncontrolled wildfires. Controlled burning is a land management tool refined over generations to safely reduce fuel loads, manage vegetation, and lower the risk of catastrophic wildfires.

Unfortunately, policy shifts over recent years have made it harder for upland managers to carry out this essential work, despite clear evidence from the 2018 Saddleworth disaster that unmanaged vegetation poses a grave risk.

During the Saddleworth fire over 5 million people were exposed to dangerous pollution. This pollution included lead and cadmium deposited on the moors during the Industrial Revolution. Scientists estimate that dozens of premature deaths occurred due to the fumes.

We urge policymakers and the public to distinguish between responsible fire use and the devastating fires seen in the headlines.

The answer is not to ban controlled burning - it is to support and strengthen it as part of a modern, evidence-based approach to land stewardship.

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