Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of equipping military planes with fire-retardant kits to provide additional capacity to help halt the frontlines of a wildfire, as used by French emergency services in Bordeaux in summer 2026.

The UK’s national resilience to climate-related hazards is of strategic importance and must be a whole of government endeavour. As one of the largest landowners in the UK, with critical infrastructure in remote locations, Defence fully recognises the importance of ensuring its own resilience to such hazards.

Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) allows Defence to provide vital support to civil authorities and emergency services when civilian capabilities are insufficient. 200 military personnel deployed rapidly to South Wales in August 2026 to support local fire and rescue services in their response to the wildfires.

Defence capabilities and their merits are carefully considered in line with affordability and overall effectiveness. Whilst there is currently no capability for military aircraft to be equipped with fire-retardant kits, Defence is committed to working across government, and with local partners through our liaison networks to understand climate-related risk and to work closely with civilian authorities to enhance our ability to respond effectively.