UK PM announces military aircraft to help fight future wildfires

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced the deployment of military aircraft, including Royal Air Force Chinook helicopters and transport planes, to combat future wildfires, according to a statement on Thursday. The prime minister announced these measures ahead of a resilience summit aimed at addressing the increasing threat of wildfires, which have become more frequent in recent years due to droughts, extreme heat, and man-made climate change.

Additional support for English firefighting services will include specialized wildfire teams and lightweight personal protective equipment, with up to £45 million earmarked to tackle the growing issue.

Burnham's comments came as he visited Stourbridge, central England, following an August blaze that gutted 19 houses and damaged 18 others. He warned that Britain must confront the changing climate and accelerate its transition to clean energy. However, environmental campaigners have criticized Burnham for approving plans to start new drilling in a controversial North Sea gas field. They also noted that recent summers have shown the UK's lack of preparedness and ability to respond effectively to wildfires.

The first wildfire resilience summit will be held by Burnham on Friday in Liverpool, northwest England, with fire chiefs, local leaders, and experts in attendance. The summit aims to ensure that events like those witnessed in Stourbridge never recur. Burnham emphasized that crews will now have the necessary equipment to stay safe, and military aircraft will stand ready to assist in fighting wildfires from the sky.

Critics, such as Friends of the Earth campaigner Sienna Somers, have pointed out the irony of holding the summit just days after approving the Jackdaw gas project, deeming it a "completely unnecessary carbon-bomb." They urged Burnham to reject new oil and gas developments, increase investment in nature-based solutions for capturing and storing water, and implement a comprehensive adaptation plan to address the wildfires' growing threat.