Fire service trials jeeps to tackle wildfires

A fire service has introduced two new vehicles to bolster its wildfire response.

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was trialling the jeeps at the Woodford Halse and Raunds fire stations.

They will be equipped with beaters - which appear similar to shovels - and which create breaks in the ground to prevent flames from spreading.

Neil Sadler, the area manager overseeing the project, said: "Wildfires are a risk for our largely rural county and we are constantly reviewing our capability to respond to them effectively and safely."

The vehicles are designed to transport equipment and firefighters to locations that might be harder to reach for larger trucks.

They are also equipped with backpacks that can carry up to 20 litres of water each.

Mr Sadler said they had introduced the vehicles as a result of a large number of wildfires in the summer of 2022.

The fire service pointed out that tackling the effects of climate change was part of its community rick management plan.

The National Fire Chiefs Council said crews had responded to 564 wildfires in England since 1 January, which was a 717% increase compared with the same period in 2024.

Mr Sadler said that as part of the trial, the Northamptonshire service would look at how the vehicles could support any response to flooding incidents.

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