Dunwich Heath wildfire should be a 'wake-up call' for Government, says National Trust
The National Trust has launched a petition calling on the Government to make climate resilience a national mission
The devastating wildfire at Dunwich Heath should serve as a wake-up call for the government to invest more in protecting the country's natural landscapes against the growing threat of climate change, the National Trust has said.
Following the blaze, which destroyed more than 100 hectares of protected heathland, the conservation charity is calling on ministers to make climate resilience a national priority, arguing that nature should be treated as critical infrastructure alongside roads, railways and energy networks.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio Suffolk, Russell Clement, General Manager for the National Trust's Suffolk and Essex Coast, said the fire highlighted the increasing challenges posed by hotter, drier conditions.
"This fire should be a wake-up call," he said.
"We need to think about nature as being critical infrastructure. We think about our roads, we think about our railways, we think about our hospitals, but actually nature forms critical infrastructure for our nation."
Mr Clement said healthy landscapes play an important role in protecting communities by reducing the impact of extreme weather.
"When nature is in good condition, it helps manage flood water, it helps cool our towns and cities, it stores carbon, it stores water in the landscape and it can even help reduce the spread of wildfires," he said.
The National Trust has launched a petition calling on the Government to make climate resilience a national mission, invest more in restoring nature to reduce environmental risks and provide fire and rescue services with the resources needed to prepare for and respond to wildfires.
The charity says the appeal has been prompted by the scale of the fire at Dunwich Heath and the growing frequency of extreme weather events affecting the UK's landscapes.
A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said:
"The government has committed to strengthen our approach to climate adaptation, and to build our resilience to our changing climate.
"We are helping the farming sector to be prepared for future climate shocks through our farming schemes, the new Farming Roadmap and our work with the National Drought Group."
The spokesperson added that Defra will publish its next Climate Change Risk Assessment in January 2027, has launched a Local Authority Climate Service with the Met Office to support climate adaptation planning, and is investing at least £10.5 billion in new and existing flood and coastal erosion schemes by March 2036. They also highlighted measures to support farmers' water resilience and strengthen domestic food production.