Fire service strengthens wildfire response with new national team

Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service has strengthened its wildfire response capability after becoming one of six National Wildfire Teams established through the government’s National Resilience programme.

The specialist team can be deployed across Northumberland, to neighbouring fire and rescue services and throughout England and Wales when wildfire risk is high.

The new capability follows extensive specialist training in the UK and overseas, designed to improve operational skills, strengthen national coordination and ensure services can respond effectively to increasingly complex wildfire incidents.

Northumberland firefighters have undertaken training in Texas, South Africa and South Wales, gaining experience in specialist firefighting techniques and sharing knowledge with international partners.

In Texas, personnel completed training focused on rural-urban interface fires, where development meets countryside and presents particular challenges for firefighters. In South Africa, six firefighters took part in tactical burn training, learning how controlled burning can be used safely to create fire breaks and control the spread of wildfires.

A further 17 personnel completed a week-long course in South Wales focused on standardising wildfire response across the National Wildfire Teams. The training is intended to support a consistent and coordinated approach when teams are deployed across service boundaries.

The programme is backed by £97m of national investment in fire and rescue equipment and is designed to strengthen resilience against the growing threat of wildfires, which are being driven by factors including extreme weather and changing land use.

Rob Stacey, Wildfire Team Leader at Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service, said the service was proud to be part of the national response capability.

“We are incredibly proud that Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service has been selected as one of the national wildfire response teams.

“As wildfire risk continues to grow, this investment in specialist training, equipment and national coordination will strengthen our ability to protect communities, critical infrastructure and the environment both in Northumberland and across the country. Our firefighters have played an active role in helping to develop this capability, and we are pleased to support a stronger national response to wildfire incidents.”

The new capability has already been tested in a live operational setting. In July 2026, Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service was deployed four times to support Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service during the significant wildfire at Tintwistle.

NFRS’s Tactical Burn Team helped create control lines through tactical burning ahead of the fire, helping to slow its spread. Crews also supported operational planning and control line construction, using specialist equipment including brushcutters and backpack blowers.

Firefighters also used pumps and hose systems to dampen burning and smouldering areas, demonstrating how specialist wildfire teams can provide additional capability to services dealing with large-scale incidents.

Chief Fire Officer, Keith Carruthers said the experience gained through the programme would strengthen the service’s ability to work alongside partner agencies.

“Wildfires present increasingly complex challenges for fire and rescue services, requiring specialist skills, strong partnerships and the ability to adapt to changing risks. The knowledge and experience our personnel have gained through this programme will help us make informed decisions in demanding operational environments and work even more effectively alongside partner agencies.

“Being part of the National Wildfire Team network also enables Northumberland to contribute its expertise to a coordinated national response wherever it is needed.”

The National Wildfire Teams have been operational since July 2026, providing additional specialist capability that can be mobilised during periods of heightened wildfire risk across England and Wales.

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