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Tinderbox Britain - Are we ready for more wildfires?

A long, hot, dry summer brought intense heat and a record breaking wildfire season. But as the UK becomes hotter, are fire services prepared for the growing threat from wildfire?

"Tinderbox"conditions created by a long, hot, dry summer brought a record number of wildfires in 2026. Dozens of homes were destroyed or damaged, huge areas of land burned, and one man died. But experts are warning there may be worse to come in future as climate change makes conditions for wildfires in the UK even more likely. The Government banned disposable barbecues in the summer, sent out a wildfire alert to people's mobile phones, and is now planning to hold a wildfire summit. File on 4 Investigates looks at whether the country is prepared for the growing threat, and if the emergency services have the resources to cope.

Presenter: Adrian Goldberg
Producer: Fergus Hewison
Production Co-ordinators: Tim Fernley & Tom Dunster
Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford
Editor: Tara McDermott

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38 minutes

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Wednesday 11:00

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