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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to mitigate the risk of wildfires in England in 2027.

Following the Prime Minister’s Wildfire Resilience Summit on 23 October, we are taking practical action to strengthen preparedness ahead of the 2027 wildfire season. We have announced up to £45 million of additional funding for England’s frontline wildfire capability, including specialist wildfire teams and lightweight, wildfire-specific protective equipment. This is on top of the £97 million already announced to upgrade National Resilience assets and equipment, including a pilot national wildfire response capability.

We are also developing a nationally coordinated aerial firefighting capability, working with the Met Office to improve wildfire forecasting and risk information, and strengthening prevention through £25 million for peatland restoration and support for land management measures. These measures will be brought together through England’s first Wildfire Action Plan, covering prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.