Wildfires in southern Scotland, particularly around Glentrool, have prompted police warnings for public safety. The emergency services are currently managing extensive blazes, with helicopters deployed for firefighting efforts. The scale of wildfires in the UK is rising, highlighted by a report from the National Fire Chiefs Council, which noted 286 incidents this year, exceeding 2022 figures. This spike is attributed to climate change, indicating the need for increased funding and resources for fire services to handle this escalating threat effectively and ensure community safety.
This year has seen 286 wildfires hit the UK, according to the NFCC, more than 100 above the number recorded in the same period in 2022.
Phil Garrigan, chairman of the NFCC, said: There is no getting away from the fact that climate change is driving increases in extreme weather events, such as wildfires.
Responding to wildfires requires a lot of resource, and often over long periods of time, which puts pressure on other fire and rescue service activities.
The NFCC warned the government that it could not continue to cope with significant increases in wildfires with current budgets already under strain.
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