Wildfires across southern England are increasing in frequency and severity, with experts warning the risk could double in the next 40–50 years. This summer's heatwaves produced a record 1,350 wildfires in England and Wales, including large incidents in the New Forest that required prolonged multi-agency responses. Fire services face staff cuts and equipment gaps, prompting calls for nationally coordinated training, aerial capacity and targeted investment; the government has pledged about £97m and temporarily banned disposable barbecues.
South England Faces Rising Wildfire Risk — Experts Warn Danger Could Double Within 40–50 Years
A blaze at Headon Warren burned for five days and needed 80 firefighters at its peak [Island Echo]
Wildfires in southern England are becoming more frequent, larger and closer to communities, experts warn. This summer's heatwaves produced a string of serious incidents across the region, exposing pressure points in staffing, equipment and national coordination.
This Summer's Major Blazes
National figures show 1,350 wildfires across England and Wales in 2026 — the highest total on record and more than 1,000 incidents above 2024. The largest incidents in the South included:
A van fire on the A31 spread to more than 100 hectares of New Forest heathland [New Forest Police]
- New Forest (August): A van fire on the A31 spread into heathland, scorching more than 100 hectares (roughly 140 football pitches). Crews remained at the scene for two weeks and the road was closed for nearly a fortnight while National Highways repaired damaged barriers and fencing.
- Headon Warren, Near The Needles: Burned for five days and required about 80 firefighters at its peak. Fire engines were ferried across the Solent and a helicopter dropped water on areas crews could not reach on foot.
- New Forest (July): More than 60 firefighters tackled a blaze near Ashurst where discarded disposable barbecues were found.
- Dorset And Poole: Part of the Rustic Stomp festival site near Wareham was damaged when a camping stove ignited a tent; a fire at Bourne Valley Nature Reserve in Poole is believed to have been started deliberately.
Why The Risk Is Rising
Dr Mark Hardiman, a wildfire specialist at the University of Portsmouth, said fires in the South "are larger, burn longer and come closer to people's homes and roads." He warned the risk in places such as the South and the Isle of Wight could double over the next 40–50 years. The UK Climate Change Committee has issued a similar projection that wildfire risk could double across much of the UK by 2050.
Human Causes And Changing Conditions
While hot, dry weather creates the conditions for wildfires, many are still ignited by human activity: disposable barbecues and campfires, discarded cigarettes, farm machinery and deliberate fire-setting. The government temporarily banned the sale of disposable barbecues in August after they were linked to several serious blazes.
A blaze at Bourne Valley Nature Reserve was believed to be deliberately started [Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service]
Fire Services: Capacity And Equipment Challenges
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) says one in five firefighter posts across the UK have been cut since 2010. James Leslie, the FBU's South West regional secretary, said crews have been stretched and frequently operate with four firefighters on an engine rather than the safer complement of five — a factor that can delay second appliances and allow fires to grow.
Local services report falling staff numbers: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service has lost an estimated one in four firefighters since 2010, and Dorset and Wiltshire's operational staff have fallen from 1,297 to 981, according to union figures.
The Fire Brigades Union says one in five firefighter posts have been cut since 2010 [HIWFRS]
Equipment needs for wildfires differ from structural fires: crews travel longer distances, operate on foot in rough terrain and require lighter, off-road-capable vehicles and specialist kit. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service operates a £500,000 off-road Unimog based at Wareham, and Hampshire has a new specialist off-road engine at Rushmoor.
National Coordination And Policy Responses
Experts and unions call for a national approach: a consistent definition of wildfire, nationally recognised training standards and an aerial firefighting capability. Dr Hardiman says the technical solutions are largely known and that the key question is political will and targeted investment in people and kit to ensure communities can be defended in worse years to come.
Discarded disposable barbecues were found at the scene of a fire near Ashurst [Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service]
The government has pledged nearly £100m (specified as about £97m) to fund six specialist firefighting teams and equipment such as off-road vehicles, and has announced a summit with fire and rescue services to review resources and preparedness.
Looking Ahead
Local leaders stress planning and mutual aid arrangements with neighbouring brigades and national resilience mechanisms, but many warn that without more resources and clearer national coordination, services will face increasingly frequent and severe multi-site incidents. Public education on safe outdoor behaviour — including proper use of barbecues and camping stoves — is highlighted as a key prevention measure.
"If you don't have the resources, you have to start picking and choosing which ones you fight," Dr Hardiman said, underscoring the urgency of investment and planning.
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