The UK Government is unable to deploy its military firefighting helicopters to tackle multiple wildfires sweeping Britain because they are currently based more than 2,000 miles away in Cyprus, it can be revealed.
Fire chiefs have called for access to aerial firefighting capabilities to combat a looming risk of larger and more complex wildfires as summer heatwaves become more intense.
More than 200 blazes have been tackled in England and Wales in the last fortnight alone as the UK endures one of its worst years on record for wildfires and is at risk of a “firewave”, a prolonged period of wildfire activity, due to the prolonged dry weather.
Shorts
Scroll to previous short
Scroll to next short
Iran war
US conducts ‘heavy strikes’ on Iran – the latest
Caption: Donald Trump, President of United States, speaks at the press conference during the 2026 NATO Ankara Summit in Ankara, Turkiye, on July 8th, 2026. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Photographer: NurPhoto
Provider: NurPhoto via Getty Images
Source: NurPhoto
The US military carried out “heavy” strikes against Iran overnight in response to
attacks on American bases in Jordan and ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Where was targeted?
US Central Command said it hit “dozens” of lslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets, with Iranian state media reporting that three people were killed, including a two-year-old child, on Qeshm island.
State media also said Abadan Island, close to the border with Iraq was hit, along with targets in the south and west of the country.
Big Read
5 min read
Analysis
3 min read
What is the context for the latest strikes?
The US-Iran conflict reignited on Tuesday after several days of relative calm in which a diplomatic solution looked like a possibility.
However, hostilities returned, and this week has seen the war expand with the first publicly announced joint US-Saudi strikes targeting Iranian proxies in Iraq.
Caption: A woman stands next to Iranian-made Zolfaghar missiles displayed at Azadi Square in Tehran on July 24, 2026. Iran’s army said on July 24 it carried out drone strikes against several American military facilities and bases in Bahrain and Jordan in retaliation for the latest US attacks against the Islamic republic. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) /
Photographer: –
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or licensors
Analysis
3 min read
Trump: Now it’s our turn
Donald Trump said the US would hit Iran “very hard” and warned, “it’s our turn”, following strikes on American bases in the region.
Caption: Donald Trump, President of United States, speaks at the press conference during the 2026 NATO Ankara Summit in Ankara, Turkiye, on July 8th, 2026. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Photographer: NurPhoto
Provider: NurPhoto via Getty Images
Source: NurPhoto
Separately from Trump’s comments, sources told Reuters that Saudia Arabia had asked the US not to escalate the conflict by attacking Yemen’s Houthis rebels and other Iran-aligned militias in Iraq.
analysis – world
Flailing Trump is addicted to this never-ending war
Caption: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – MAY 13: U.S. President Donald J. Trump leaves the Saudi Royal Court with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on May 13, 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Trump begins a multi-nation tour of the Gulf region focused on expanding economic ties and reinforcing security cooperation with key U.S. allies. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Photographer: Win McNamee
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Once again, Trump has ordered the US military back into action in the skies over Iran, and once again he has surrendered to the baser instincts of his nature.
What to know as UK on the brink of breaking 50-year drought record
Most of England finds itself on high alert for wildfires as a 50-year drought record from the blistering summer of 1976 is close to being beaten.
Caption: WEST BAY, ENGLAND – JULY 23: In this aerial view, a golfing green and dried grass is seen at Bridport and West Dorset Golf Club, on July 23, 2026 in West Bay, United Kingdom. According to the the National Drought Group, eight areas across southern, central, and eastern England are verging on drought, following a period of “prolonged dry weather,” including three heatwaves to hit the region this season. Water companies report seeing a 30% increase in demand for water on the hottest days of the year so far, with more than 20 million households facing hosepipe bans in parts of England and Wales. (Photo by Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images)
Photographer: Finnbarr Webster
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Emergency services under pressure
Fire crews in England and Wales have responded to a new wildfire approximately every 90 minutes over the last fortnight amid the fourth heatwave.
Caption: BONHILL, SCOTLAND – APRIL 30: Fire fighters bring a wildfire under control on April 30, 2026 in Bonhill, Scotland. Scottish Fire and Rescue Service??(SFRS) and the Scottish Wildlife Forum (SWF) have issued warnings for wildfires across Scotland from Thursday and into the weekend in some regions. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Photographer: Jeff J Mitchell
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
Caption: GLOSSOP, ENGLAND – JULY 13: Smoke rises from a wildfire on July 13, 2026 near Glossop, England. A major incident has been declared on between Tintwistle Moor in Glossop, Derbyshire and Dovecote Reservoir as high winds and a severe heatwave caused a wildfire, which originally broke out on 24 June, to flare up. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Photographer: Christopher Furlong
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
A major incident was declared after a wildfire broke out on the Suffolk coast on Wednesday, a region which has now been declared as suffering drought conditions.
An exceptionally dry spell
As of Wednesday, the Royal Horticultural Society’s garden at Wisley, Surrey, recorded 43 consecutive days without rain.
Just two more dry days would equal the 45-day dry spell that caused water shortages and crop failures across much of Britain during the drought of 1976.
Caption: RIPPONDEN, UNITED KINGDOM – OCTOBER 16: In this aerial view an ancient packhorse bridge is revealed by low water levels at Baitings Reservoir on October 16, 2025 in Ripponden, United Kingdom. Rainfall from Storm Amy earlier this month helped Yorkshire’s reservoirs recover from drought conditions, although water levels still remain below average for this time of year. At the end of the first week of October, the region’s reservoirs rose to 52.9% capacity, below the 70.7% average that is typical for this time of year, according to Yorkshire Water. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Photographer: Christopher Furlong
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2025 Getty Images
NEWS
2 min read
More than half of England affected by drought conditions
The Environment Agency has said that more than half of England is officially in rapidly developing “flash drought” conditions.
Seven water companies have brought in temporary-use bans, affecting 23 million customers.
NEWS
4 min read
Exclusive
3 min read
The areas in drought
Caption: BRAY, UNTIED KINGDOM – JULY 25: In this aerial view the Maidenhead & Bray CC 1st XI take on the Boyne Hill CC 1st XI on a bone dry field at the Maidenhead & Bray County Cricket club on July 25, 2026 in Bray, United Kingdom. According to the the National Drought Group, eight areas across southern, central, and eastern England are verging on drought, following a period of “prolonged dry weather,” including three heatwaves to hit the region this season. Water companies report seeing a 30% increase in demand for water on the hottest days of the year so far, with more than 20 million households facing hosepipe bans in parts of England and Wales. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Photographer: Dan Kitwood
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
- The are: East Anglia, Hertfordshire and London, the Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, West Midlands, and Wessex, including Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire.
LIFESTYLE
2 min read
An RAF Chinook fills a firefighting bucket during a training mission in Cyprus. The UK deploys firefighting helicopters to the island every year but was last week unable to offer the capability in the Cairngorms (Photo: AS1 Natalie Adams/RAF/MoD)
Exclusive
UK at risk of ‘firewave’ – but firefighting helicopters are 2,000 miles away
The i Paper has revealed that the UK Government is unable to deploy its military firefighting helicopters because they are currently 2000 miles away in Cyprus.
Breaking
Major incident after large wildfire breaks out in Suffolk
Caption: Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service is continuing to respond to a significant wildfire at Dunwich Heath.
Residents are advised to keep all doors and windows closed due to the large amount of smoke in the area.
Please avoid the area and keep roads clear for emergency vehicles while crews continue to tackle the fire.
Copyright: Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service
A major incident has been declared after a large wildfire broke out on heathland on the Suffolk coast.
Homes and a caravan park have been evacuated with 90 firefighters tackling the blaze at its peak, according to Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service.
A ‘complex’ wildfire
The Fire Service said the “large-scale, wind-driven” blaze broke out on Dunwich Heath shortly after 5:30pm on Wednesday.
They said that a major incident has been declared “due to the size and complexity” of the wildfire, which is spreading rapidly south-west. However, there is “no current risk to Sizewell B”, the nearby nuclear power station.
Exclusive
5 min read
NEWS
4 min read
How many people have been affected?
- Around 48 people, including families with babies and pets, have been evacuated to Westleton Village Hall.
- As many as 200 caravans were being prepared for evacuation, but the exact number of people affected is not known.
- The wildfire comes after the Environment Agency announced East of England, including Suffolk, was one of seven areas now in drought.
Watch more from The i Paper
Housing
Why home sales in England take so long
Caption: BLACKBURN, ENGLAND – APRIL 29: Placards from various housing estates agents advertising properties for sale on April 29, 2021 in Blackburn, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
Photographer: Nathan Stirk
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Caption: BRAY, UNTIED KINGDOM – JULY 25: In this aerial view the Maidenhead & Bray CC 1st XI take on the Boyne Hill CC 1st XI on a bone dry field at the Maidenhead & Bray County Cricket club on July 25, 2026 in Bray, United Kingdom. According to the the National Drought Group, eight areas across southern, central, and eastern England are verging on drought, following a period of “prolonged dry weather,” including three heatwaves to hit the region this season. Water companies report seeing a 30% increase in demand for water on the hottest days of the year so far, with more than 20 million households facing hosepipe bans in parts of England and Wales. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Photographer: Dan Kitwood
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
Buying a home in England and Wales can feel like an endurance test. With its delays, lengthy timelines and deals falling apart at the last minute, the English system stands in stark contrast to many other countries.
In response, the Government is looking to take forward reforms to speed up the process.
England and Wales have one of the slowest systems
The process is unusual as an accepted offer is not legally binding. Either the buyer or seller can walk away without penalty until contracts are exchanged.
Photographer: Maskot
Provider: Getty Images/Maskot
Source: Maskot
Copyright: Copyright Maskot
Caption: Close-up shot of a real estate agent giving a young Asian woman the keys to her new home. Home ownerships concepts
Photographer: d3sign
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Moment RF
The long wait between offer and exchange creates opportunities for buyers to rethink, sellers to accept higher offers or unexpected legal issues to emerge.
Scotland offers a different model
- Many experts point to Scotland as evidence that a different approach can work.
- Unlike England and Wales, much of the legal and property information is prepared before a home is marketed.
- Surveys are commissioned upfront and buyers have access to far more information before making an offer, compared to in England, where most of this is given post-sale.
PROPERTY AND MORTGAGES
3 min read
Could deposits stop buyers pulling out?
Across many other countries, such as France and the US, buyers are expected to put money on the line much earlier than they do in England and Wales.
That financial commitment makes buyers less likely to withdraw unless there is a legitimate problem uncovered during the purchase.
Photographer: Kmatta
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Moment RF
Explained
4 min read
What are some other key differences?
Caption: Happy couple looking at a house for sale with a real estate agent and smiling at a sliding door
Photographer: ToucanStudios
Provider: Getty Images
Source: E+
Another key difference is when legal checks are carried out.
In England and Wales, much of the investigation into a property’s legal status, leasehold arrangements and searches begins only after an offer has been accepted.
In many other countries, much of this work is completed before marketing begins, allowing buyers to make decisions with greater confidence.
Caption: Ectopic pregnancy, illustration. The embryo has implanted in the fallopian tube, not in the uterus.
Photographer: KATERYNA KON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRA
Provider: Getty Images/Science Photo Libra
Source: Science Photo Library RF
Copyright: Science Photo Library
health
Older mothers may be contributing to rising ectopic
pregnancies, study finds
Women falling pregnant at older ages may, in part, explain the rise in hospital admissions for ectopic pregnancy, research suggests.
A closer look at the figures
- Analysis of data for England reveals that ectopic pregnancy hospital admissions rose significantly from 2004 to 2012, with an average increase of 3 per cent each year.
- The figures stabilised between 2012 and 2021, before rising significantly after 2021 with an average increase of more than 4 per cent each year.
Analysis
3 min read
What else did experts find?
- Experts from the University of Liverpool found that women living in the most deprived areas of England “consistently experienced higher rates of hospital admissions than those in the least deprived areas”.
Caption: Ectopic and normal pregnancy, illustration. In an ectopic pregnancy the embryo implants in the fallopian tube, not in the uterus.
Photographer: VERONIKA ZAKHAROVA/SCIENCE PHOTO
Provider: Getty Images/Science Photo Libra
Source: Science Photo Library RF
Copyright: Science Photo Library
Changes to how ectopic pregnancies are managed in hospital could have influenced the rise, alongside factors such as infections and women falling pregnant when they are older, according to the study in the Lancet Regional Health – Europe journal.
A closer look at the findings
- From 2013 to 2024, most ectopic pregnancy admissions occurred among women aged 25 to 34, accounting for 45–55 per cent of cases every year.
- Women aged 35 to 39 contributed a further 20–25 per cent, while admissions among women aged 20–24 remained stable at around 15–18 per cent each year.
- “Admissions among women aged 40 (and over) increased from around 7 per cent in 2013 to 12 per cent in 2024, consistent with the national shift toward delayed childbearing and potentially contributing to the recent rise,” the team said.
news
Why the elderly are ‘more likely to face long waits in A&E’
Photographer: Maskot
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Digital Vision
Copyright: Copyright Maskot
Elderly people are more likely to face lengthy waits in A&E compared to younger patients, according to data, with more than a fifth waiting over 12 hours.
What you need to know
Analysis by the Nuffield Trust think-tank has revealed how elderly and frail patients aged 81 and over are often worst affected by issues such as corridor care.
This is where treatment does not take place in a clinically appropriate and safe setting.
POLITICS
4 min read
OPINION
3 min read
The expert view
It’s absolutely shocking that two fifths of the most elderly patients going into A&E are stuck waiting for over 12 hours… Since the pandemic, stories like this have become so common, and we know that long A&E waits have caused thousands of avoidable deaths in recent years.
Sarah scobie, Nuffield trust deputy director of research
Caption: An unrecognisable woman (in her 70s) lies in a hospital bed having suffered a stroke. She has a pulse oximeter on her finger
Photographer: Justin Paget
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Digital Vision
The battle against these blazes is having to be conducted without any specialist aircraft owned or operated by the authorities.
None of Britain’s 49 fire and rescue services currently has direct access to a firefighting aircraft or helicopter similar to those seen in recent days dropping water to quell vast wildfires in France, Spain and elsewhere in Europe.
Chinooks on standby to fight Cyprus fires
It can be revealed by The i Paper that the UK does have RAF Chinook helicopters which are capable of dropping up to five tonnes of water at a time from a huge bucket suspended below the aircraft.
But these and their specialist crews are currently based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus on standby to help with wildfires on the island, and thereby unable to participate in any firefighting operations on the UK mainland.
Last year, Cyprus suffered its worst year for wildfires on record, including a blaze near Limassol which killed two people and damaged or destroyed more than 500 homes or buildings.
It is understood the Chinook aircraft are in Cyprus as part of a long-standing arrangement to help the Cypriot authorities if needed and to protect UK assets. Like other military assets, their deployment can be reviewed if needed elsewhere.
A helicopter hired from a private contractor is used to water bomb this Cairngorms wildfire as it continues to burn after 14 days (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty)
Last week the Scottish Government rejected an offer from new Defence Secretary Wes Streeting to send RAF Chinook helicopters to help combat a wildfire in the Cairngorms. The blaze, which has burned for a fortnight and consumed 10 square miles of moorland and forest near Aviemore, is now hoped to be under control ahead of cooler weather and forecasts of rain.
First Minister John Swinney said the offer from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had been rejected after it became clear that the helicopters being offered had no ability to fight the fire directly and were instead being offered to ferry equipment and personnel.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Scottish Government said: “A request was made to the UK Government specifically for ‘aerial water-bombing capability’. A response was received that the UK Government was not in a position to agree to this request.”
The MoD declined to comment but pointed to a previous statement that it stood ready to support firefighting effort in the Cairngorms and, if necessary, elsewhere in the UK under mutual aid arrangements.
France and Spain have 80 firefighting aircraft
Many European countries, including Ireland, operate their own firefighting aircraft. France has been able to deploy at least 35 – including an A400 military transport plane capable of dropping 20 tonnes of water at a time – to tackle fires across the country. Spain has access to 45 aircraft.
The UK has hitherto relied on external help or a small number of private contractors with the capability to provide waterbombing services on an ad hoc basis due to low historic risk of wildfires and the lower threat level in comparison to Spain and France.
Skyhook, a Fife-based helicopter operator, has been involved with fighting the Cairngorms fire, but points out that it is not funded to maintain a dedicated firefighting capability or have crews on permanent standby.
This summer, the UK Government announced it would be placing specialist firefighters close to areas at risk of wildfires, in particular peat moorlands, as part of a £97m upgrade of fire and rescue assets, including off-road vehicles.
A French Canadair firefighting aircraft flies past flames burning a forest surrounding Cotignac, south-eastern France, during a wildfire this week (Photo: Thibaud Moritz/AFP)
But the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) warned this week that climate change was driving a long-term increase in wildfire risk, and further investment would be needed to meet future demand, including access to an aerial firefighting capability.
Phil Garrigan, chairman of the NFCC, said: “The science tells us we should expect larger, more frequent and more complex wildfires in the future. That’s why we need continued investment in specialist wildfire capabilities, including aerial firefighting support, so we’re prepared for the risks ahead.”
The Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government said it was working with fire services and other stakeholders to understand how to develop the response to the increased risk of wildfires. A spokesperson said: ““We’re investing nearly £100m to help replace assets which can be used to tackle wildfires.”
UK barred from EU emergency resources
The UK previously had access to rescEU, a European Union civil contingency scheme which pools emergency resources, including firefighting aircraft, for member states. Under the rescEU scheme, France has this month been provided with 13 additional aircraft, and Spain six.
But Brexit means that this fallback is no longer available to London, prompting calls for a re-examination of UK needs, and to potentially strike a deal with European partners to share resources
The Scottish Greens told The i Paper they wanted to see a joint assessment by the Edinburgh and Westminster governments of “aerial firefighting capability gaps” exposed by the Cairngorms fire.
The party said there was a pressing need to “assess the investment needed for dedicated aerial firefighting assets stationed within the UK, whether held nationally, shared across the UK, or accessed through arrangements with European partners”.
Charred grassland on Ingrebourne Hill after a fire in Rainham, Essex, on Saturday (Photo: Joe Duggan)
Fire services in Britain and on the European mainland are already combating hundred of wildfires in what is set to be the worst year on record for EU countries. According to the European Commission, about 250,000 hectares of land have been burned so far this year – an area equivalent to the size of Luxembourg.
To date there have been 706 wildfires in England and Wales, slightly fewer than the figure of 788 for this time last year. Eight live wildfires remained under surveillance this week and experts have warned of a “firewave” in the coming days as temperatures peak once more, and the risk of new blazes fuelled by tinder-dry vegetation increases.
Major blazes have hit Scotland, including Arthur’s Seat in the heart of Edinburgh and the Cairngorms fire, which last weekend saw residents of the village of Nethy Bridge evacuated from their homes.
Battling wildfires before they start
Fires of a similar scale and intensity to those currently ravaging the Gironde in western France and central Spain are unlikely to occur in the UK due to differences in terrain and environment. But experts warn there is a pressing need for a different approach to lessen the impact of blazes before they happen.
This includes removing or controlling vegetation which grows abundantly as a result of wet winters and springs, only to act as the kindling for wildfires when it subsequently dries out during hot summer conditions.
Guillermo Rein, profession of fire science at Imperial College London, said practices such as “compartmentation” – the targeting of particularly high-risk areas of forest or open land to minimise wider conflagrations – need to be adopted.
He said: “Water is important, but it is only one layer of protection. Wildfire safety requires multiple layers of protection, from prevention and early detection to compartmentation, suppression, evacuation and damage mitigation.
“As Europe adapts to even warmer summers, we need to move beyond reacting to disasters and start building wildfire protection before the next firewave arrives.”
