Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has considered procuring a permanent aerial firefighting capability, including dedicated firefighting aircraft, in the context of increased wildfire risk.

This Government recognises that there is no “one size fits all” approach to wildfire risk management. Knowledge and expertise often must be tailored to specific landscapes, whilst techniques and methods used in all aspects of the wildfire risk cycle can be case specific.

MHCLG has recently announced a £97 million investment into the New Dimensions 2 programme which will replace and upgrade National Resilience assets and equipment. This includes a pilot national wildfire response capability with specialist firefighters, equipment and training positioned across England to support Fire and Rescue Services during major incidents.

Fire and rescue services are fully aware of the growing risk of wildfires and working with local authorities. Where aerial support is considered necessary, this is generally taken forward through locally determined arrangements with commercial providers, based on local risk, capability and operational requirements. Wildfire response is a devolved responsibility, and arrangements can vary across the devolved nations

Following the devastating wildfires this summer, the Prime Minister has committed to holding a Wildfire Summit later this year. The summit will bring together a range of partners to turn the lessons of the exceptional wildfire and extreme heat events of 2026 into practical action and will include considerations for Aerial Capabilities.