Government invests almost £100 million to tackle growing risk of wildfires – amid series of major blazes across Derbyshire
The Government has announced plans to invest nearly £100 million to help tackle the growing risk of wildfires – with Derbyshire and the Peak District having been hit by a series of major blazes.
Specialist trained firefighters in reach of communities and an overhaul of fire and rescue assets to the value of almost £100 million have been announced today, as part of the first ever programme to tackle the increased risk of wildfires across the country.
Through the new programme, teams of specialist firefighters will be positioned in key areas and be ready to respond to fires across England – delivering help to people on the ground more quickly and taking pressure off local services as the number of incidents continues to grow.
The teams have undergone intense training over spring and summer, learning the latest strategies for fighting wildfires – including tactical burning. They have also travelled to South Africa and Poland to learn from the international community.
This announcement comes in the wake of devastating wildfires across Derbyshire and the Peak District. At the start of May, a blaze at Snake Pass Summit led to a major response from emergency services – with the fire engulfing approximately 340 hectares of moorland.
A wildfire broke out at Errwood Reservoir in the Goyt Valley back in May 2025, which caused significant damage – while Tintwistle Low Moor and Holme Moss were also hit by blazes last year.
State-of-the-art kit, like dedicated off-road vehicles, will also be available through a wider £97 million investment to fund the largest scale upgrade of national resilience assets in almost twenty years.
Building Safety Minister, Samantha Dixon, said: “This country benefits from a dedicated fire and rescue service and as incidents continue to evolve in complexity, it’s critical that we back those on the frontline with the latest equipment.
“Last year saw some of our most devastating wildfires in recent history and as we head into peak season, we’re getting on and delivering the resource, training and assets needed to minimise the escalating risk.”
The Fire National Resilience programme was established after the 9/11 terrorist attack, recognising that specialist capabilities, personnel and resources were needed to enable fire and rescue services to respond effectively to a national-scale catastrophic incident.
The significant cash boost will ensure the dedication of our fire and rescue services is matched with the most up-to-date assets, funding a huge overhaul of existing vehicles and equipment.
This will crucially strengthen the country’s national response to the largest and most complex of incidents, from flash flooding to raging wildfires and collapsed structures.
These specialist capabilities were used over 1,000 times in 2025 alone to tackle a diverse range of incidents, with devastating wildfires identified as a growing demand on the service.
The wildfire teams will be located strategically and hosted by fire and rescue services in Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Northumberland, London and South Wales – and will be deployable to incidents across England by the end of June.