Wildfire Prevention: Government Recognises Fuel Management but Overlooks Controlled Burning
Photo by Scott Wicking
Quick summary
The Government has announced new wildfire measures following England's first Wildfire Summit in October 2026.
Its plans recognise fuel management but make no mention of controlled burning.
Its own Heather and Grass Management Code 2025 recognises burning and cutting can reduce wildfire risks.
The Wildfire Action Plan must explain how fuel management will work alongside current burning restrictions.
The Government has recognised the importance of managing vegetation to prevent wildfires. Yet its latest wildfire announcements make no mention of controlled burning, despite its own guidance acknowledging that the practice can help reduce wildfire risks.
This omission raises an important question: how will England's new Wildfire Action Plan support effective vegetation management while restrictions on controlled burning remain in place?
New measures to tackle wildfire risk
Following England's first Wildfire Summit on 23 October 2026, the Government announced measures to strengthen wildfire prevention and emergency response.
More than 1,300 wildfire incidents had been recorded across England by the end of August, highlighting the growing challenge facing emergency services, rural communities and land managers.
In a written statement to Parliament on 26 October, the Government confirmed plans to:
Support wildfire prevention: Fund fire ponds, firebreaks, fuel management, grazing and scrub removal through the Environmental Land Management scheme.
Restore peatlands: Provide an additional £25 million in grants to improve wildfire resilience.
Strengthen firefighting: Establish a nationally coordinated aerial firefighting capability and improve protective equipment.
Improve forecasting: Create a Wildfires AI Unit using satellite imagery and data analysis.
Reduce accidental ignitions: Coordinate temporary restrictions on open flames during periods of heightened wildfire risk.
These measures will contribute to England's first Wildfire Action Plan, covering prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.
Fuel management must include practical options
The Government's recognition of fuel management is welcome.
Across England's uplands, managing heather, grasses and scrub has long been part of responsible moorland management. Controlling the accumulation of combustible vegetation can help limit the spread and intensity of wildfires.
Grazing, cutting, firebreaks and carefully planned controlled burning can all contribute, depending on local conditions.
Importantly, the Government's own Heather and Grass Management Code 2025 recognises that burning and cutting are used to reduce wildfire risks.
Effective prevention depends on choosing the right management method for the right location.
The unresolved issue of controlled burning
Despite recognising fuel management, the Government's latest statement does not specifically address controlled burning.
That is important because regulations introduced in September 2025 expanded restrictions on burning vegetation in England's uplands.
Under the current rules, burning specified vegetation on peat deeper than 30cm within a less favoured area generally requires a Defra licence.
The Government's licensing guidance advises applicants to allow at least 12 weeks for a decision. These requirements affect how land managers can plan vegetation management, particularly where controlled burning may be considered necessary to address wildfire risks.
But appplicants have reported that the application process is overly complicated. The recent EFRA wildfire report revealed that only 2 of 24 burning applications have been successful.
The Moorland Association is not arguing that burning is appropriate everywhere. Sensitive habitats must be protected, and any burning must be properly authorised and safely managed.
However, the Government needs to explain how its support for fuel management will work alongside the restrictions it has introduced.
Restoration and prevention must work together
The additional £25 million for peatland restoration is a positive announcement.
Restoring wetter, healthier peatlands can reduce the risk of fires burning into peat, protecting important carbon stores and habitats.
However, restoration takes time. It does not remove the need to assess and manage wildfire risks across different upland landscapes.
Peatland restoration, appropriate vegetation management and effective emergency planning should form complementary parts of a national strategy.
What needs to happen next?
As ministers develop the Wildfire Action Plan, three issues need addressing:
Will controlled burning remain an available option where evidence, site conditions and licensing requirements support its use?
How will land managers access funding for practical wildfire prevention?
How will Defra, Natural England, Fire and Rescue Services and land managers coordinate prevention work?
The Government's investment in firefighting equipment and technology is welcome. But preventing wildfires requires action on the ground, long before emergency services are called.
England's Wildfire Action Plan must draw on the practical experience of upland land managers and provide a clear, workable approach to fuel management, including the appropriate use of controlled burning.
