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Nature Conservation: Fires

Asked by Sir James CleverlyConservativeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 8 September 2026UIN 20330

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, hat assessment has been made by of the potential impact of rural rewilding programmes on the prevalence and frequency of wildfires.

Answered by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Many landscapes in England are vulnerable to extreme weather today and need to adapt to increase their resilience to the long-term impacts of climate change. Restoring peatlands, wetlands and woodlands can store carbon and reduce wildfire risk to farmland, homes, infrastructure and nature.

The Land Use Framework, published earlier this year, explained why land use change is critical to increase the resilience of our agricultural landscapes and maintain food production. It also explained why large-scale nature recovery projects should be targeted to the areas where they will have the greatest benefit.

Nature recovery is one component in the toolkit for reducing the risks and severity of wildfires.

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