The Fire Brigades Union has warned that the fire service continues to be understaffed and needs huge investment, with another heatwave set to hit this week.
The last heatwave, in July, saw firefighters fighting wildfires across the country, including in Wennington, East London, where two rows of terraced houses were destroyed.
Andy Dark, Fire Brigades Union assistant general secretary, said:
"Just over a fortnight ago firefighters had to deal with many serious wildfires across much of the country. Several firefighters were injured and many people lost their homes.
"Heatwaves have been on the government's National Risk Register since its first iteration in 2008. Wildfire as a national risk was added to the register in 2013. Instead of improving fire and rescue services we've had 11,500 firefighters cut since 2010. Understaffing has been so bad that throughout the last period of wildfires nearly all fire and rescue services in the most severely affected areas had to call up off-duty firefighters and ask them to perform extra shifts.
"If we are to properly protect life and property from wildfires the fire service urgently needs huge investment."
