New charter aims to minimise wildfire impact in Wales

The inaugural Wales Wildfire Charter was launched this week at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show in Builth Wells.

The charter outlines the commitments of the Wales Wildfire Board, a strategic consortium of key agencies across Wales.

The charter lays out the Board’s approach to managing the risk of wildfires, with the goal of minimising their impact on the environment and the communities of Wales.

“Our new Wildfire Charter is built on the knowledge and experience partners on the Board have gained over the last decade in dealing with the impact of wildfires across Wales,” said Iwan Cray, Chair of the Wales Wildfire Board and Deputy Chief Fire Officer of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

The Wales Wildfire Board recognises the ongoing threat wildfires pose to the environment, economy, and communities of Wales. Recent years have shown signs of a plateau in incident numbers, suggesting a fresh approach is required to confront emerging challenges.

Andrew Wright, Deputy Chair of the Wales Wildfire Board and Senior Specialist Advisor – Plant Health and Knowledge Transfer at Natural Resources Wales said:

“Our wildfire charter is formulated around three key themes, each designed to ensure we are able to focus on the areas which not only require the most attention but will also have the biggest influence in improving our understanding of wildfires and how the Board can positively manage their impact.”

The Wildfire Charter themes include:

Partnerships – Through an evolving partnership approach, we will bring together Welsh Government, Emergency Services, Public and Private Organisations, Landowners and Land Users to manage and develop our landscape.

Environmental and Community Resilience – We will contribute to the management of our landscape to protect wildlife, forestry and livelihoods; improve well-being, health and amenity, facilitate sustainable food production and create a sense of place and community ownership.

Prevention and Protection – We will implement a diverse range of management techniques to reduce the impact of wildfire on our communities and the landscape in Wales.

Each year, fires destroy thousands of hectares of countryside, open spaces, and wildlife habitats.

Partners of the Wales Wildfire Board pledge to work with communities to build a healthier, more resilient landscape and to foster a more biodiverse countryside for future generations.

The Wales Wildfire Board will engage with a range of audiences, sharing practical solutions for wildfire management.

Through this multi-agency approach, the board aims to provide a better understanding of measures to limit wildfire numbers and consequently minimise their environmental impact.