Resources were drawn from NYFRS, partner agencies, national resilience  arrangements, contractors and landowners, enabling a flexible and adaptive response as the incident developed.

A broad range of assets was utilised, including fire appliances, specialist wildfire and off road vehicles, water carriers, drones, helicopter support, High Volume Pump (HVP) capability and national resilience resources. These assets enabled operations across geographically dispersed sectors with limited access, challenging terrain and constrained water supplies. As the incident escalated, specialist and national capabilities became increasingly important. Drones enhanced situational awareness and supported tactical planning, while HVP and water assets strengthened large scale water supply and ground saturation.

Strong engagement with partners, contractors and landowners enabled deployment of additional plant and equipment, including water bowsers, excavation machinery and drenchers.

These resources significantly enhanced water delivery, firebreak creation and access. RAF firefighting capability also provided valuable support in protecting MOD land, including the use of a high capacity water drencher around RAF Fylingdales. Contributions from landowners and contractors further strengthened resilience and highlighted the value of local knowledge and established relationships.

Specialist off road capability, including Argocats, were critical in accessing remote terrain and sustaining operations. However, access remained constrained in some areas due to ground conditions and the presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO), limiting the use of standard appliances and reinforcing reliance on specialist assets capable of operating at distance or with reduced crew exposure. This highlighted opportunities to further strengthen resilience through equipment and technology such as drones and equipment that delivers large volumes of water over distance without the need to be close to the fire.

Sustaining equipment over a prolonged period proved challenging. High utilisation and difficult terrain increased wear and failure rates, while demand for consumables such as fuel, hoses and spare parts placed pressure on logistics and fleet support. The use of multi-agency and third party assets increased operational capability but introduced interoperability challenges, highlighting opportunities for greater standardisation, pre-incident familiarisation, and the use of technology to better track and manage assets during complex incidents.

Overall, asset and equipment arrangements enabled an effective and adaptable response. The learning reflects the scale and complexity of the incident and identifies clear opportunities to strengthen coordination, sustainability and future capability through the considered adoption of proven, market available innovation.

What Worked Well

• Rapid mobilisation and deployment of a wide range of assets at scale
• Effective use of specialist capabilities, including drones, HVP, helicopter support and off-road equipment
• Strong engagement with partners, contractors and landowners to enhance operational capacity
• Valuable contribution from RAF firefighting capability and third-party assets
• Strategic Holding Area (SHA) significantly improved coordination, integration and control
• Flexibility in adapting assets to operate in challenging and remote environments.

Learning Opportunities

• Review wildfire capability and the use of technology, including drones and vehicles and equipment that deliver large volumes of water over distance
• Revisit arrangement for consumables, maintenance, and mobile repair whilst at incidents
• Consider how to enhance real-time asset tracking, visibility, and interoperability across multi-agency and third-party deployments.