Chinooks fitted to fight fires, and an AI unit inside the government's crisis centre
What happened
On 22 October 2026 the government announced that military aircraft will be used to fight wildfires in the UK for the first time. RAF Chinook helicopters and A400M transport aircraft are being fitted out for firefighting. They will be available on request to help crews reach blazes on remote moorland, steep hillsides and other ground that fire engines cannot get to. Up to £45 million is going to firefighters themselves. That covers extra specialist wildfire teams and new lightweight, breathable protective kit. Current firefighting gear is mainly designed for building fires, which means it is heavy and hot. Wildfire crews often work outdoors for hours, and the new kit is meant to be wearable for longer. There is also a technology side. A Wildfires AI Unit is being set up in the National Situation Centre, which sits inside COBR, the government's crisis co-ordination machinery. The government is also working with the Met Office on better wildfire forecasts, and has published England's first Wildfire Action Plan covering prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. The announcements came ahead of a wildfire summit with fire chiefs, local leaders and experts. Airbus, Google and VodafoneThree were among those attending.
Why this matters
British wildfires used to be thought of as a nuisance on a few hot weekends. That has changed, and the numbers behind the announcement explain the shift. This summer was the UK's hottest on record. The Met Office found that climate change made the extreme heat around 130 times more likely. Fire crews have been clear about what they lacked. The Prime Minister, quoted in the announcement, said "heroes shouldn't have to fight with one hand tied behind their backs". Communities Secretary Angela Rayner said: "We've heard loud and clear from communities, experts and emergency services that more needs to be done." The Ministry of Defence has its own reason to be involved. It is the UK's second-largest landowner, and says it needs an aerial firefighting capability of its own given rising wildfire risk. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said: "As the threat of wildfires in the UK grows, defence will step up." Military help to fire and rescue services, known as military aid to the civil authorities, remains available across all four nations of the UK.
What the evidence actually says
The most interesting part of this package is not the helicopters. It is the peat. £25 million is going into restoring dried-out peatlands in England so they hold more water and act as natural firebreaks. The Peatland Restoration Grant Scheme, run by Natural England, is expected to run from April 2027 to April 2029. Farmers will also get support to fireproof land, for example by digging ponds and clearing burnable material in high-risk areas. This matters because dry peat does not just catch fire, it holds fire. A peat fire can burn underground for weeks and reignite ground that crews thought was out. Wet peat is much harder to ignite in the first place. Environment Secretary Angela Eagle put it this way: "Nature is our greatest ally in preventing wildfires starting in the first place." The government is also considering tougher local restrictions, or bans on products used to start fires, when risk is high. Disposable barbecues and sky lanterns are the usual examples. On the AI unit, it is worth being honest about what it can and cannot do. Better forecasting and faster detection help crews get to a fire early, which is when fires are cheapest and easiest to stop. They do not put water on flames. Louise Haigh, First Secretary of State, said "the UK has world-leading expertise in the application of new technologies to track and tackle wildfires". Tracking and tackling are two different jobs, and this announcement funds both. Katie White, Minister for Climate Transition, was blunt about the timescale: "The threat is already here, staring us in the face."
Practical advice
Most UK wildfires start with people, usually by accident. These are the things that actually make a difference. **Never use a disposable barbecue on moorland, heath, dunes or in dry woodland.** Even a cooled one can leave hot ground beneath it. **Take all litter home, especially glass and anything that can hold heat.** **Do not light campfires outside designated areas,** and do not assume a fire pit is safe because someone else left one there. **Put cigarettes out properly and take them with you.** Thrown from a car window into dry verge grass is a classic cause. **Check for fire warnings before you go walking in hot, dry weather.** Land managers and national parks post them. **If you see a wildfire, do not try to put it out.** Move away from it, uphill and upwind if you can, and call 999. Give the clearest location you can, including a what3words reference or a grid reference if you have one. **If you live near open countryside,** clear dry material from around fences and sheds, and know your route out. **Keep medicines and essentials somewhere you can grab quickly.** If you ever have to leave in a hurry, the things that are hardest to replace are prescriptions, glasses and documents.
What to know
RAF Chinooks and A400M aircraft are being fitted to fight wildfires from the air for the first time, available on request to crews tackling fires in hard-to-reach terrain. Up to £45 million goes to extra specialist wildfire teams and lighter protective kit. £25 million will restore dried-out peatland in England as natural firebreaks, through a Natural England grant scheme expected to run from April 2027 to April 2029. A Wildfires AI Unit is being created in the National Situation Centre, with better Met Office forecasting, and England now has its first Wildfire Action Plan. The backdrop is the UK's hottest summer on record, which the Met Office found climate change made around 130 times more likely. Sources: GOV.UK, "Military planes and helicopters to fight wildfires from the sky", 22 October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/military-planes-and-helicopters-to-fight-wildfires-from-the-sky; GOV.UK (Cabinet Office), "Households encouraged to take small, simple steps to stay prepared in an emergency", 22 October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/households-encouraged-to-take-small-simple-steps-to-stay-prepared-in-an-emergency. This article is for general information only. It is not legal, financial or medical advice. For anything about your own health or medicines, speak to a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified healthcare professional.
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