Lives “will be lost” unless the UK does more to prepare for wildfires, experts warn, after a record-breaking summer saw 1,350 wildfires in England and Wales alone.
“Tinderbox” conditions created by a long, hot, dry summer brought the worst wildfire season on record in 2026.
Dozens of homes were destroyed or damaged, huge areas of land burned, and one man died.
The UK government banned disposable barbecues, sent a wildfire alert to people’s mobile phones and made £97m available, and a wildfire summit is planned – but are we still behind the curve?
In this episode of Behind the Investigation, Melanie Stewart-Smith speaks to Adrian Goldberg from File on 4 Investigates about what he found on the ground.
0:00 Is the UK prepared for wildfires?
0:42 A record summer of wildfires
1:34 Stourbridge: A couple lose their home
3:45 The man who died fighting a Cotswolds fire
5:21 Reporting on grief and trauma
6:26 From local fires to a national story
7:26 Firefighters at “breaking point”
8:49 Crews sent hundreds of miles
10:25 The wrong kit and training?
11:37 Climate change warning: “Lives will be lost”
13:09 Government response and £97m funding
15:05 On the ground: Wildfire training exercise
17:40 Verdict: How prepared is the UK?
19:24 1.8 million homes at risk
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Listen to the File on 4 Investigates podcast here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m003242w
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