With wildfires surges and droughts spreading, the NFU is calling for urgent action from the government to protect farms, food supplies and rural communities.
The appeal confirms that much of England is now officially in drought, and raises concerns about the impact of extreme weather on food production and agriculture’s resilience.
Long periods of hot, dry weather make the country very vulnerable and increase the risks to crop, livestock, infrastructure and human safety.
While farmers are taking precautions to prevent and manage fire outbreaks, the NFU is urging governments, fire services and local governments to significantly strengthen their support.
Fires can ignite quickly and spread at an incredible rate, pose serious dangers not only to farmland but also to nearby homes and communities.
In 2025 alone, the National Fire Chiefs’ Council recorded over 500 wildfires. Meanwhile, NFU mutual data shows that the financial impact of farm fires will rise sharply in 2023, reaching £110 million. This was an increase of 37% the previous year.
The NFU is asking all fire services across the country to invest in newly developed adapters to ensure that fire trucks have access to the water stored on farms once the consumables on the ship dry out.
The system is already in use in some areas, such as Lincolnshire and Norfolk, but most areas still lack the necessary fittings, causing slower fire responses in rural areas and less effective.
The government is also being pressed by the unions to legislate that all harvesters will be equipped with fire systems at the point of sale, reducing the risk of machine-related fires at harvest.
Additionally, local governments are encouraging the introduction of Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) to curb high-risk rural behavior, such as the release of disposable light barbecues and sky lanterns.
Policymakers are also urged to avoid changes in land management, particularly in high altitude areas. This can inadvertently increase the risk of wildfires in dry weather, such as limiting controlled combustion.
NFU Vice President Rachel Harros highlights the severity of the current situation, warning many farms in the “Tinderbox state.”
“Fires can spread horribly quickly, putting both people and animals at risk, and destroying valuable crops, grasslands and infrastructure,” she said.
Farmers have taken all steps to mitigate the risk, but Harros emphasized that the challenge cannot be faced alone.
“It’s important that these shared spaces remain safe for everyone as government, fire services and local governments work together to prevent, education and respond and enjoy the countryside this summer.”
She concluded with a clear message: “Protecting our farmland means protecting our food, our environment and our rural communities.”
There is growing concern that if combine harvesters are deployed for summer harvests, fire incidents could increase unless better equipment and resources are available nationwide.
Practical solutions are already making the difference in Lincolnshire and Norfolk. Fire trucks in these counties are equipped with specially designed adapters developed by local farmers, allowing them to utilize rural water supply.
However, the device remains absent in most other counties, limiting the firefighter’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to agricultural fires.
Andrew Ward and Ronda Thompson of Lincolnshire Arable Farmers experienced firsthand the value of the adapter when parts of the farm started a fire over the weekend.
Thompson recalls: “It was awful to receive a call from our neighbor that our poultry fertilizer piles were on fire.
“The fires were not broadcast and added to the risk of invading crops, where they quickly spread to nearby farms and were much more difficult to contain.
“Two firefighters arrived quickly from Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. Luckily, the Lincolnshire fire truck was carrying the adapters.”
She added: “We were thinking how bad it would have been if firefighters had no access to water supplies on the farm or neighbors waterbowser or tankers.
“Sadly, that’s what most farms across the country face without this adapter.”
