The incident reinforced the critical need for comprehensive and systematic pre-planning when managing large-scale and complex wildfire situations, especially in environments where risk is influenced by factors such as fuel load, terrain, weather conditions and site specific hazards. The operating environment posed intrinsic challenges aligned with established wildfire risk profiles, including widespread and continuous fuel beds, few natural firebreaks, remote locations, and restricted access and exit routes. Existing arrangements enabled early understanding and management of known key risks, supporting informed initial decision making and progressive tactical development as the incident evolved. However, the scale, duration and severity of the incident exceeded previous planning assumptions, particularly in terms of fire behaviour, resource demand and operational endurance. While the likelihood of wildfire had been well recognised, the incident demonstrated that the potential impact and consequence were greater than previously experienced and modelled. The major cause of this was the presence of additional risks such as the unexploded ordnance buried under large parts of the moorland and the significant level of heather across the land.

This provides a clear opportunity to strengthen how wildfire risk is reflected within Local Resilience Forum (LRF) arrangements and the Community Risk Register, ensuring that both likelihood and severity are appropriately weighted. Reviewing the scoring and assumptions associated with wildfire risk will support proportionate planning, prioritisation and resource alignment across partners, reflecting the evolving nature of climate driven events.

The incident also highlighted opportunities to enhance multi-agency pre-planning through greater alignment of planning assumptions, similar to established approaches for other high-impact risks such as flooding. This includes developing a shared understanding of high risk wildfire environments, encompassing fuel characteristics, terrain, access constraints and anticipated fire behaviour, supported by the pre-identification of potential control lines, access routes and suitable logistical or staging locations.

Engagement with landowners, environmental specialists and partner agencies proved highly valuable as the incident developed. Learning from this incident indicates that earlier and more structured engagement mechanisms, where practicable, could further strengthen preparedness and situational awareness during the early stages of future incidents.

The availability and accessibility of site specific risk information also emerged as an important consideration. While complex risks associated with defence land near RAF Fylingdales, critical infrastructure and historic land use were managed effectively as awareness developed, the incident reinforced the benefit of ensuring such information, including the potential presence of unexploded ordnance (UXO), is readily accessible and shared at the outset to support early situational awareness and decision making.

Overall, the incident demonstrated that NYFRS had a strong and credible foundation of preparedness, capability and risk awareness. The learning identified represents an opportunity to refine and mature existing arrangements, ensuring that future planning assumptions fully reflect the potential severity and operational complexity of large scale wildfire incidents in a changing climate.

What Worked Well

• Established off road and wildfire response capabilities enabled safe and
  effective firefighting in remote terrain
• Engagement with landowners, partners and specialists provided valuable
  insight into access, terrain and evolving risks
•  Local knowledge, including from On-call and volunteer crews, enhanced
  understanding of site specific hazards

Learning Opportunities

• Review and update wildfire risk assumptions within the Community Risk
  Register, supported by a more structured, LRF led multi-agency wildfire
  pre-planning approach, including training and exercising
• Enhance shared understanding of high-risk wildfire environments, including
  fuel load, terrain and access constraints
• Build on the existing Fire Operations Group (FOG) concept to strengthen
  wildfire pre-planning and develop a multi-agency framework for coordinated
  preparedness and response.