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The scene of a blaze in the village of Wennington, east London. London Fire Brigade declared a major incident due to "a huge surge" in blazes across the capital amid the 40C heat, July 19, 2022
THE Fire Brigades Union called for urgent investment in services to protect the public today, two years after wildfires swept Britain during its hottest day on record.
On July 19 2022, temperatures in Britain hit 40.2°C as wildfires broke out across England.
The London Fire Brigades had its busiest day since the second world war, with 1,198 mobilisations and 500 residents evacuated.
Emergency phone alerts could help Britain respond to rising wildfire risk, but Australia’s experience suggests they work best as part of a broader strategy, write ELLIOT CONVERY-FISHER and KATE PARKINS
The recent heatwaves revealed how ill-prepared Britain remains for a hotter future – and how unequal the ability to cope with it has become, write ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and MIRIAM GAUNTLETT
Since 2010, one in five firefighter jobs has disappeared alongside 30% funding cuts — all while climate breakdown brings record blazes and flooding. It’s time to fund our fire service properly, writes FBU general secretary STEVE WRIGHT