Wildfire-fighting crews in Berkshire sent without proper PPE, says CLA

Crews are being sent to tackle wildfires without proper protective gear, a group that represents rural land owners and businesses has claimed.

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) said a Freedom of Information request (FOI) showed that Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) had no specialist wildfire PPE or any drones.

CLA president Gavin Lane said some firefighters were "being sent into wildfires in heavy kit made for burning buildings, worn for hours across open ground in summer heat".

RBFRS said it would continue to ensure its firefighters "have the training, equipment and support they need".

Earlier this year, RBFRS revealed it had already responded to more than 250 fires in the open this year , several of which were classed as wildfires.

According to CLA's findings that was "a five-year record in just the first six months of 2026".

RBFRS said the continued hot and dry weather "meant we responded to a further 295 vegetation fires between July and September, including 32 wildfires", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The CLA said that 12 out of 22 fire services that responded to its FOI had "no specialist wildfire PPE, despite repeated warnings from fire services that standard PPE can be too hot and heavy for wildfire conditions".

"This can cause crews to overheat, or remove PPE altogether, exposing them to greater danger from heat, smoke and radiation," it said.

"In Berkshire, where wait times for wildfires specifically were provided, just 16% of all wildfires were attended in the target time, with crews taking as long as 43 minutes to arrive at the scene."

To tackle this issue, the CLA is calling for "more funding, resources and equipment for fire services".

"And government must lift the ban on controlled burning, so landowners have the freedom to reduce fuel loads before a blaze becomes a disaster," Lane added.

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RBFRS said it took the risk of wildfires "extremely seriously" and the safety of its firefighters remained "a top priority".

"In the first six months of 2026, appliance availability remained strong and we maintained our commitment to providing a baseline of 14 frontline fire engines for Berkshire," it added.

"We have also continued to strengthen our wildfire capability through specialist training, dedicated 4×4 wildfire units and enhanced officer expertise to support the safe and effective management of complex incidents."

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