This summer, two major wildfire incidents at opposite ends of England pushed firefighters to the limit. With fire services facing deeper cuts, Barrie Clement investigates.
Two massive incidents this summer gave a graphic illustration of the scandalous lack of resources in Britain’s fire service.
While fire and rescue services were dealt another blow to funding this year, the wildfires at Holt Heath in Dorset and Langdale Moor, Yorkshire, in August dragged in precious equipment and boots on the ground from neighbouring areas and took weeks to bring under control.
ACROSS THE UK
Under the National Resilience protocol, firefighters were also sent to the incidents from across Britain. The Dorset and Wiltshire blaze was attended by firefighters from all neighbouring brigades, and from as far away as South Wales, Essex, Kent, Surrey, Bedfordshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Leicestershire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Lancashire.
The national emergency procedure is co-ordinated by central and local government to respond to large-scale or critical incidents. Ironically the need to invoke the response was clear evidence of a general lack of resilience.
Not only is there a shortage of firefighters, but of resources generally. Many of those sent from different brigades didn't have wildfire PPE or training - due to lack of national standards and lack of investment.
NO RESILIENCE
Years of austerity have led to such incidents becoming national emergencies. The loss of one in five firefighter posts, with fire engines taken off the run and fire stations closed across all regions, meant that when intensive wildfires broke out there was little resilience left.
Val Hampshire, executive council member for the South West, pointed out that while they were dealing with the blaze on Holt Heath, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service were also tackling a fire at Newton Heath in the same county, which took over a week to extinguish.
THIN ON THE GROUND
Val highlighted that resources were ‘shockingly thin’ on the ground. “Dorset and Wiltshire and neighbouring services have been cut to the bone. During this wildfire there simply weren’t enough firefighters available in the region.
“Lessons must be learned from this incident, and all fire and rescue services must start piling the pressure on central government for the funding needed.”
UNEXPLODED BOMBS
The massive blaze at Langdale Moor, North Yorkshire, near RAF Fylingdales started on August 11. At its height it covered 10 square miles and burned for nearly a month.
As firefighters tackled the blaze, more than 18 unexploded World War II bombs detonated. It was one of the largest incidents to which North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has ever responded.
Gavin Marshall, regional secretary, Yorkshire and Humberside, said: “In the past, neighbouring brigades could step in to help, but now every service is stretched to breaking point.
“Everyone, including the government, needs to wake up: cutting the fire service is an absolute no-go. Further cuts will put the public at risk. At Langdale Moor, we even saw appliances coming from as far as London to assist North Yorkshire because neighbouring services simply had nothing to spare.
NO FIRE COVER
“In the early stages, before reinforcements arrived, the people of North Yorkshire were left with dangerously little fire cover. That’s the reality across the country — services are cut so severely that we’re all just one major incident away from not being able to protect the communities we serve.
“With climate change driving more extreme and unpredictable conditions, the government shouldn’t be talking about more cuts. They should be investing — making sure our communities are safe, not just day-to-day, but in the face of major disasters.”
DEEP CONCERN
Brigade secretary Steve Howley, a watch manager, said he had spoken to many firefighters who had attended the Langdale Moor blaze, and had expressed their deep concern about the limited resources and the impact that had on the welfare of colleagues.
To give just one example of the crisis, the Lib Dem council at Hull says medium term cuts of £5m are the equivalent to 85 full-time firefighter posts, or 20 per cent of operational staff in Humberside. The council says this amounts to the third largest cutback facing brigades in England.
A meeting of Hull City Council unanimously backed a motion calling on the Labour government to ‘properly fund’ Humberside Fire and Rescue Service.
This situation will be echoed across the country – but whether councils will follow suit, and whether Westminster listens, will depend on the pressure they come under from the frontline.
