Prime Minister hosts wildfire summit with emergency services

Andy Burnham held England's first Wildfire Resilience Summit today to discuss how to increase the UK's resilience to future wildfires. Responding to the announcement of greater funding for fire services, Sienna Somers, campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

"The Prime Minister is right to recognise the growing threat of wildfires and the need to provide more resources to our emergency services.

"The UK is seriously underprepared for the growing threat of wildfires - fuelled by the climate crisis - which put our precious homes, communities and nature at risk.

"But there's a certain irony to hosting an emergency summit just two days after approving Jackdaw, a completely unnecessary carbon-bomb.

"We cannot keep pouring fuel onto the fire. Andy Burnham must reject new oil and gas developments and reckless airport expansion, further invest in nature-based solutions to capture and store water, and implement a comprehensive adaptation plan that protects people and nature, now and for the future."

ENDS