Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to help the London Fire Brigade with tackle future wild fires on Green Belt land.

London Fire Brigade, like all Fire and Rescue Authorities are required to plan for the foreseeable risks in their area, through their Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP). These need to incorporate the top local and national risks such as wildfire, and have regard to other key local responders and the communities which they serve.

Fire and rescue authorities will receive around £2.6 billion in 2023/24. Standalone fire and rescue authorities will see an increase in core spending power of 8.1 per cent in cash terms compared to 2022/23. The Greater London Authority has a core spending power of £2.8bn in 2023/24 which is an increase of £319m (12.7%) compared with 2022/23. Decisions on how their resources are best deployed to meet their core functions are a matter for each fire and rescue authority.

More widely, the Government working closely with NFCC Wildfire Lead, and The England and Wales Wildfire Forum has developed a “Wildfire Framework”; supporting a multiagency approach to mitigate the risks and impacts of wildfire to people, property, habitats and wildlife and to provide an effective response to wildfire incidents. [Wildfire Framework for England – December 2021 (fireengland.uk)]. Furthermore, the Home Office are currently scoping a wildfire strategy and action plan, as outlined in the third National Adaptation Plan.

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) have surveyed and collated feedback from all UK Fire and Rescue Services on the 2022 wildfire season. The Home office are working closely with the NFCC to implement relevant policy recommendations.