CLA calls for action to minimise wildfire risk as incidents spike across the country
With wildfires becoming a more common occurrence across the UK each summer, we describe the application process for controlled burning as "complex, time consuming and unwieldy as to be unfit for purpose"
The CLA is highlighting the increasing risk of wildfires on farmland and the need for action, as England’s third heatwave of the year continues.
With many areas of the country experiencing 30°C+ temperatures and little rainfall since the start of the month, more than 20 wildfires have broken out and several major incidents have been declared.
CLA President Gavin Lane says, “fires like these are often avoidable tragedies. We know that careful and controlled burning, done at the right time of year, makes fires less likely to happen and easier to contain when they do.
“But the system now required to apply for a licence to burn is so complex, time consuming and unwieldy as to be unfit for purpose.”
With hotter, drier weather making wildfires more dangerous, we cannot afford a system that blocks common sense. Government must fix it, fast, so the people who know this land can protect it
Many of the wildfires that we are seeing are in arable crops or parched grassland, so they are happening across the country. Thankfully, many landowners and farmers are stepping in to support local fire services in creating fire breaks. They work closely with local authorities to reduce the risks, prepare for problems, monitor conditions and respond quickly to incidents - whether on their farm or locally.
The current spate of wildfires is a stark reminder of the challenges in rural areas. It's something that affects all areas, with moorland fires in the uplands, but also heathland, grassland, woodlands and crops approaching harvest are all at risk. These are threats to rural communities, wildlife, farm businesses and critical infrastructure.