UK Firefighters' Union Seeks 5,000 New Recruits Amid Record Wildfire Surge

July 2026 set a UK record for wildfires — 458 incidents, nearly half the year's 966 total, per the National Fire Chiefs Council. The Fire Brigades Union wants 5,000 more firefighters. This follows drought declarations covering most of England on 10 August and Met Office projections for the hottest UK summer on record by average temperature.