The National Trust was forced to find a helicopter to help fight the huge wildfire that has devastated parts of Suffolk as the UK Government’s firefighting aircrafts were unavailable, it can be revealed.
Britain’s biggest conservation charity was forced to step in after the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service issued a plea for support to stop the fire spreading to nearby villages.
Fire services have been warning they do not have enough resources to deal with wildfires, including no direct access to aircraft.
It is not the first time this summer the National Trust has been forced to locate aircraft to help fight wildfires; the charity has also sourced helicopters to tackles blazes in the Peak District and on the Isle of Wight.
It comes after The i Paper revealed that the UK Government has been unable to deploy its military firefighting helicopters to tackle multiple wildfires this week as they are currently based more than 2,000 miles away in Cyprus.
The National Trust is calling on the Government to ensure “rapid-response arrangements” are in place for wildfires, including aerial firefighting support.
“Wildfires can spread rapidly and every minute counts. Early access to the right resources gives firefighters the best chance of protecting communities, wildlife and landscapes, and preventing small incidents from becoming major disasters,” a National Trust spokesperson said.
They said such support was “urgent in view of the extent of drought conditions and the ongoing risk across the country”.
Fire devastates Dunwich Heath
A major incident remains in place in Suffolk after a fire broke out at Dunwich Heath near Sizewell B nuclear power plant on Wednesday.
The fire has destroyed an area of rare heathland the size of 200 football pitches, while the neighbouring RSPB Minsmere reserve has also been badly affected.
The National Trust has said it could take 25 years for Dunwich Heath to be restored (REUTERS/Jack Taylor)The National Trust said it approached a “reputable” company for help tackling the blaze on Thursday morning following a request for air support from the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service.
The company provided an Airbus Helicopter H125 that was “hugely significant in supporting the efforts of the fire service, National Trust, RSPB, local farmers and others on the ground in efforts to contain the blaze as quickly as possible”, a spokesperson for the charity said.
The National Trust said it has “has insurance and funding arrangements in place to support its contribution to the emergency response”, adding that the fire service has “now taken over contracting of the helicopter”.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service was unable to comment but confirmed a privately owned helicopter was brought in by the National Trust to assist in the firefighting efforts.
National support needed
None of Britain’s 49 fire and rescue services currently have direct access to a firefighting aircraft or helicopter similar to those seen in recent days dropping water to quell vast wildfires in France, Spain and elsewhere in Europe.
The UK does have RAF Chinook helicopters that are capable of fighting wildfires, but the The i Paper revealed on Thursday that they were on standby at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus ready to help with blazes on the island.
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) warned this week that climate change was driving a long-term wildfire risk in the UK and more investment was needed to meet demand, including access to an aerial firefighting capability.
The National Trust added to calls for fire services to have better access to firefighting aircrafts.
“There is a real need for fire services across the country to have instant access to this vital service and support, to ensure that people, places, precious landscapes and wildlife have the best possible chance of surviving such incidents,” they said.
On Friday the conservation charity launched an appeal for donations to restore Dunwich Heath, which is one of the UK’s rarest habitats.
They said it could take 25 years to restore the site, which was famous for the purple heather that carpets the ground in the summer, provided an important habitat for wildlife including nightjars, adders and silver-studded blue butterfly.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the Government was investing £100 million to “upgrade national resilience capabilities” including buying equipment to tackle wildfires, such as off-road vehicles.
“We’ve worked closely with fire and rescue services and resilience partners to prepare for the increased risk of wildfires this summer,” they added. “We’re also trialling highly trained wildfire response teams, placing them in hotspots across England.”
Hence then, the article about national trust paid for helicopter to fight suffolk wildfire because uk has none was published today ( ) and is available on inews ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( National Trust paid for helicopter to fight Suffolk wildfire because UK has none )
Also on site :
- Walmart’s Lettuce-Trim Matching Set Is ‘Comfortable’ Enough to Sleep in and ‘Cute’ Enough to Wear Out
- PROCEPT BioRobotics Corporation Sued for Securities Law Violations - Contact the DJS Law Group to Discuss Your Rights - PRCT
- CellOrigin Unveils Two Novel Solid-Tumor Cell Therapy Candidates at ASCO 2026, Partners with Walvax for In Vivo CAR Clinical Trial