Firefighters on Dartford Heath following a major fire during a heat wave, in July 2022. Credit: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg
(Bloomberg) — Even as Britain prepares to bake again this weekend, the country is not geared up any better for wildfires than it was last year which saw a record number of fire incidents and forced dozens to flee their homes.
Wildfires are becoming more common in the U.K. and threatening to scorch its towns and cities — something that wasn't the case before. As another sweltering summer begins, academics and watchdogs said that preparedness for this year's wildfires risk continues to be underwhelming. The U.K. government's Home Office still relies on a four-page document from 2021 detailing its wildfire strategy, despite the government's own climate advisor stating preparations are insufficient. To top that, the country has fewer firefighters now than it did a decade back.
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