Just 9% of Cheshire fire staff trained to tackle wildfires, research suggests
Cheshire also has just one specialist vehicle for reaching remote blazes, the figures show
Just nine per cent of fire staff in Cheshire are trained to tackle wildfires, according to new research.
The figures come after wildfire incidents reached record levels this summer, according to the Country Land and Business Association (CLA).
The CLA says firefighters across the country were sent to deal with wildfires without crucial protective kit and adequate training.
In Cheshire, nine per cent of fire staff are trained to take part in wildfire operations.
The research also found big differences in access to support vehicles, which are crucial for reaching wildfires in remote, challenging areas.
Cheshire and Durham both have just one such vehicle, while Dorset has 29.
In contrast, all firefighters and officers in Durham, Kent and East Sussex are fully trained.
Kit and training shortfalls across the country
Freedom of information disclosures to the CLA revealed half of fire services had no specialist protective equipment for wildfires.
Fire services have warned that standard kit can lead to crew members overheating or removing it, leaving them exposed to heat, smoke and radiation.
In some areas, fewer than one in 10 crew members are qualified to take part in wildfire operations.
The CLA said where training courses exist, they are typically conducted online, which limits opportunities for in-person, physical training.
More than a third of fire stations do not have drones to detect, map and monitor wildfires, according to the figures.
Response times and fire engines
Almost half of the fire services which provided data failed to meet their overall target response time on average in 2025 and 2026.
More than three quarters reported incidents in 2026 where it took more than 30 minutes to arrive at the scene.
Across the 29 fire services which shared data, engines were unavailable for an average of 32% of the year, with crew shortages meaning some could not be deployed for long periods.
Nearly 80% of councils recorded more wildfires in the first half of 2026 than they did in the whole of 2024, as temperatures soared.
Calls to lift the controlled burning ban
CLA president Gavin Lane said:
"We ask firefighters to risk their lives in conditions most of us would not go near.
"So we should be giving them the equipment, training and support to come back safely."
The CLA is urging the government to lift the ban on controlled burning, which it describes as a proven way to remove the dead vegetation that can turn small blazes into major incidents.
Mr Lane said:
"Fire services need the people, training and specialist equipment to protect communities.
"And government must lift the ban on controlled burning, so landowners have the freedom to reduce fuel loads before a blaze becomes a disaster."
Government response
A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said:
"We recognise the extraordinary efforts of firefighters and emergency responders who worked around the clock to protect their communities from the devastating wildfires over the summer.
"As well as investing nearly £100 million to upgrade national resilience assets and pilot specially trained wildfire response teams, the Prime Minister announced we'd hold a summit with fire and rescue service partners to make sure we have the right equipment and resources so we are as resilient as possible."