Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the Government has for (a) preventing and (b) tackling wildfires during heatwaves.

38594: The Home Office has been working closely with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) to provide monitoring and reporting of wildfires during this unprecedented heat.

38595: A coordinated multi-agency approach is essential in the prevention and tackling of wildfires. This includes government departments such as Defra, Cabinet Office, Met Office and DLUHC.

As of 0700 21^st July, according to NFCC data, Fire and Rescue Services have responded to 462 wildfire incidents in England and Wales in 2022. These were incidents that met the national thresholds for reporting.

We anticipate further wildfire incidents to occur this year as the warm dry weather continues.

At a local level – each Fire and Rescue Authority is required to plan for the foreseeable risks in their area (including wildfires) through their Integrated Risk Management Plan. This will include plans to prevent and respond to incidents and Fire and Rescue Services will have regard in their planning to other key local responders including landowners and other emergency services.