Lives 'will be lost' unless UK does more to combat wildfires, committee chairwoman says
The chairwoman of the UK's Climate Change Committee has warned that the country is unprepared for the increasing frequency of wildfires caused by climate change. Despite government investment in firefighting, experts argue that more proactive planning and education are required to prevent loss of life.
Why it matters
As climate change leads to more extreme weather, national infrastructure and emergency services face unprecedented challenges in protecting public safety.
Image source, EPA/Shutterstock Image caption, The aftermath of a wildfire in Dunwich Heath, Suffolk, during the summer
Lives "will be lost" unless more is done to combat the increasing risk of wildfires, the chairwoman of the UK's Climate Change Committee (CCC) has said after a record number of blazes this summer.
Baroness Brown told BBC File on 4 Investigates "not enough action" had been taken in light of predictions the UK is facing longer, drier summers because of global warming.
Earlier this year, one man died in a wildfire in Gloucestershire, while 19 homes were destroyed in Stourbridge , near Birmingham, and villagers were evacuated in the Cairngorms .
The government said it was investing nearly £100m to improve national resilience capabilities, which includes piloting specially trained firefighting teams.
As far back as 2012, the independent CCC warned of "more frequent wildfires due to warmer and drier conditions".
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