We should manage the fuel, not the fire: BASC on upland wildfire

As the grouse season gets under way across the UK’s moors, this summer’s spell of hot, dry weather and the significant wildfires it brought to our uplands should still be very much in our minds. Our first thoughts remain with those on the front line. Fire and rescue services showed extraordinary professionalism and courage, often working in extremely challenging conditions, to protect lives, homes and some of our most precious landscapes.

Alongside them, gamekeepers, farmers, estate staff and other land managers worked tirelessly, often volunteering their time, equipment and local knowledge to help tackle fires before they spread. They were an essential part of the response.

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee’s inquiry into wildfire heard powerful evidence about the realities faced by those responding to these incidents. It highlighted the concern felt by many gamekeeping families as loved ones left home to battle fires – often for long hours in dangerous and unpredictable conditions. It was a reminder that wildfire is not simply an environmental issue; it has a very real human impact on the people who live and work in our uplands.

The practical tools needed to reduce wildfire risk

Investigations into the causes of individual fires are still ongoing and it remains too early to draw firm conclusions. However, one thing has become increasingly clear: as our climate changes and periods of hot, dry weather become more frequent, we must ensure that those responsible for managing our uplands have the practical tools needed to reduce the wildfire risk.

Wildfire is not simply about ignition. It is also about what is available to burn. The amount of accumulated vegetation, often referred to as the fuel load, is one of the biggest factors influencing how intensely a wildfire burns and how difficult it is to control.

For generations, land managers have used a range of techniques to reduce this fuel load, including grazing, cutting and controlled burning. Each has an important role to play, depending on the landscape, terrain and conservation objectives. In many of the UK’s remote uplands, where machinery cannot always operate effectively and cutting is often impractical, controlled burning remains one of the most effective tools available.

Why restrictions on controlled burning have raised concern

Recent years have seen increasing restrictions placed on controlled burning. While these changes have been introduced with the intention of protecting peatlands, there is growing concern that limiting vegetation management in some areas has allowed fuel loads to build, increasing the potential for larger and more severe wildfires.

The irony is difficult to ignore. In attempting to protect our peatlands, we may inadvertently be creating conditions that leave them more vulnerable to catastrophic fire. Unlike carefully planned controlled burns, wildfires burn with extreme intensity, damaging vegetation, scorching peat, releasing significant amounts of stored carbon and devastating wildlife.

It is also important to distinguish between controlled burning and wildfire. Properly conducted controlled burns are cool, fast-moving and carefully managed. They skim the vegetation layer without burning the peat beneath, encouraging fresh growth while reducing the build-up of older, highly combustible vegetation. They are undertaken by trained professionals under an already tightly regulated system and bear little resemblance to destructive wildfires.

This year’s fires should prompt a balanced, evidence-led discussion about how we improve the UK’s wildfire resilience. BASC believes that means recognising the expertise of gamekeepers and other land managers who care for these landscapes every day and ensuring they have access to the full range of appropriate vegetation management tools.

As the new grouse season begins, and as climate change continues to increase the risk of wildfire, our focus must be on supporting those who protect our uplands, learning the lessons from this year’s fires and ensuring that future policy strengthens, rather than weakens, the resilience of these remarkable landscapes. Protecting peatlands, wildlife and rural communities depends not only on preventing fires from starting, but also on managing our landscapes so that they are better able to withstand them when they do.

Alex Farrell is BASC‘s head of uplands. He has a keen interest in all types of shooting, especially pest control and rough shooting. Email him at alex.farrell@basc.org.uk