Nick Thomas-Symonds has secured commitments on cross-government planning and specialist capability after leading a Commons debate on the summer wildfires in Wales.
The Labour MP for Torfaen said a fire that began on 19 July reignited on 10 August and led South Wales Fire and Rescue Service to declare a major incident the following day. Between 220 and 270 hectares of common land were affected.
He told MPs that the service recorded 961 grass fires between 11 August and 1 September, including 115 wildfires and 26 in its most serious category. At the height of the response, 22 other fire services and 110 military personnel supported local crews.
Thomas-Symonds called for stronger UK-Welsh co-operation on recovery funding, specialist teams, protective equipment, land management and planning for future incidents. He also asked ministers to explain how previous peat-fire recovery awards in England had been calculated.
Local government minister Florence Eshalomi said her department and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs had established joint governance to develop a wildfire action plan. A national summit will be held this autumn, alongside continuing work with the devolved governments.
The minister said six specialist teams had already been created through a national capability pilot and that aerial firefighting would be re-examined. She also undertook to pursue the question about the calculation of recovery support raised at the close of the debate.
