Fire Brigades Union calls for water-bombing aircraft to tackle UK wildfires

The Fire Brigades Union has pressed the government for urgent access to aerial firefighting equipment as an unprecedented sequence of blazes sweeps across the country. The demand comes as the UK recorded its hottest day of the year, with temperatures surging to 38.1C at Kew Gardens in London. The sweltering conditions mark the fifth heatwave of the summer season, driving drought conditions across nearly three-quarters of England and the entirety of Wales.

UK fire brigades currently lack direct access to specialised water-bombing aircraft capable of dropping up to six tonnes of water onto fast-moving fires. While the Ministry of Defence previously offered RAF Chinook helicopters for logistic support and heavy lifting when requested by the Scottish Government to fight fires in the Cairngorms, Britain's military firefighting helicopters remain deployed in Cyprus. Furthermore, the RAF lacks the specialised "bambi" buckets required to scoop water from lakes and the sea, though military officials are reportedly discussing bringing machines back from Cyprus.

Media additions

Ministers are examining future equipment needs, including aerial assets, under a £97m investment to upgrade national resilience capabilities, alongside trials of wildfire response teams trained in nations like South Africa and Poland. Yet The i Paper reports that the military has not yet received a formal request to deploy assets under military aid to civil authorities.

Our members want the best possible technology to tackle wildfires effectively, and where wildfire-fighting aircraft are appropriate, we would advocate for their introduction, an FBU spokesperson told The i Paper, adding that the union desires a multipronged national strategy incorporating thousands more trained firefighters and adequate protective equipment.

The demands follow severe incidents across multiple regions. As reported by International Business Times, a major incident was declared in the West Midlands after a 40-acre fire centred on Stourbridge spread to at least six homes, injuring several people and forcing the evacuation of care homes and residential streets. Strong winds caused fires to leap across roads and properties like a domino effect while heavy black smoke triggered the closure of the M6 northbound between junctions 5 and 6, resulting in severe tailbacks.

Residents in affected areas rushed to assist stretched emergency crews using hosepipes, buckets, and improvised tools. In Stourbridge's Norton Covert, locals wet their fences and beat back flames after fire engines ran out of water, while a window cleaner used his van supply to douse spot fires. A separate major incident was declared in Warwickshire following a large blaze at Salford Priors, and firefighters continue tackling major heathland incidents in the New Forest, Suffolk near the Sizewell B nuclear power station, and the Cairngorms.

The compounding crises have placed immense pressure on public infrastructure. The Royal College of Nursing warned that staff are collapsing from heat exhaustion during shifts under inhumane and impossible conditions. Meanwhile, health secretary Yvette Cooper ordered the NHS to plan for annual heatwaves with the same rigour applied to winter preparations.

Wildfires and Heatwave Key Facts

• Temperature Peak: 38.1C recorded at Kew Gardens on Thursday, August 13, 2026.
• Wildfire Volume: 1,017 wildfires recorded across England and Wales so far, matching last year's total.
• Major Incidents: Declared in the West Midlands and Warwickshire amid severe disruption to transport and housing.
• Aerial Capability Gap: UK fire services possess no dedicated water-bombing planes, and domestic military helicopters lack local water-scooping buckets.

Climate experts attribute the intensifying frequency of extreme heat and drought directly to greenhouse gas emissions. Baroness Brown, who chairs the Climate Change Committee's adaptation work, warned that conditions will continue to worsen until emissions reach net zero. Ministers face mounting pressure from independent advisers to mandate cooling installations in hospitals and care homes by 2035 and streamline agricultural reservoir construction.

What to Watch Next

• Expiry of the Met Office amber heat warnings and yellow thunderstorm alerts across Northern Ireland on Friday, August 14, 2026.
• Further government announcements regarding potential military aid requests and the acquisition of aerial firefighting assets.
• Ongoing recovery efforts for displaced residents housed in emergency rest centres and temporary hotels across the West Midlands.