Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service
Northumberland Wildfire Group.
The Northumberland Wildfire Group (NWG) is a multi-agency group that works to address wildfire issues within Northumberland. The NWG helps us to keep those who live, work and visit Northumberland safe from wildfires. It also helps protect the beautiful natural and historic environment of our county.
The NWG delivers a wide range of activities to protect rural communities, the rural economy, and the environment from the potentially devastating impact of wildfires.
The group was one of the first multi-agency partnerships to be established in the UK to deal with wildfire issues, and is now considered a model of good practice.
Members currently include landowners, land agents and managers, farmers, emergency services, and organisations working in the environmental/conservation and public sectors. Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service’s Wildfire Team helps facilitate the group and provides the secretarial function.
Membership is open to any individual or organisation in Northumberland with an interest in wildfire-related issues. 
If you would like any further information and/or would like to join the Northumberland Wildfire Group, please contact us.
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Fire group meetings
The NWG holds regular meetings to discuss wildfire incidents and a wide range of wildfire-related issues raised by members. These meetings take place at least 2 times per year.
Information about the next NWG meeting will be announced here soon.
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Improving response to wildfires
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Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) coordinates the Northumberland Wildfire Fire Plan Project on behalf of the NWG. Through this project, NFRS’s Wildfire Team create and regularly review wildfire fire plans for more than 85 sites across Northumberland.
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These plans are an important tool used by our fire crews when responding to wildfires. Each Wildfire Fire Plan contains key information about an area of land (usually an estate or farm) which can be used by fire crews to make quick decisions about how to safely and effectively control and extinguish a wildfire. The plans are stored on the mobile computers on all fire appliances in Northumberland, so that all crews can access the plans if they are called to an incident.
Large areas of the county of Northumberland are already covered by Wildfire Fire Plans, but there are still some gaps. If you do not have a Wildfire Fire Plan for your site, please contact us and we will work with you to create one.
You can get started straight away – by clicking here to download our template fire plan document to your device and use it to start recording information about your site. Please contact us and we will then arrange a convenient date and time for a site visit to work through the rest of the plan with you.
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Increasing awareness of wildfire risk
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We communicate across a number of channels to raise awareness about wildfire risk and to warn and inform members of the public when wildfire risk is high. We do this to help reduce the likelihood of wildfires starting.
Some of the awareness raising activities we undertake are:
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sharing knowledge and experience with other local wildfire stakeholders
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publishing press releases when wildfire risk is high 
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working with our partners to display temporary extreme wildfire risk warning signs across the county
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sharing information about wildfire risk with our partners and members of the public, such as through our public awareness film
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delivering wildfire awareness training to organisations and volunteers working in Northumberland
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Why should I join the Northumberland Wildfire Group?
The NWG exists to protect life, property, rural livelihoods and the environment. At the core of everything the group does is the desire to preserve Northumberland’s unique environment and surroundings. Wildfire risk is increasing with climate change, so it is vitally important we work together to help reduce the impact of wildfires on our county.
 
If you or your organisation might be affected by wildfires, then you could benefit from joining the Northumberland Wildfire Group. The benefits include:
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on-site support to complete a Wildfire Fire Plan
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access to training courses related to wildfire and land management burning
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invitations to attend and contribute to wildfire training exercises
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invitations to attend fire group meetings to gain information, discuss problems and receive advice on wildfire issues
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Contact us
Robert Stacey, Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service
Secretary of the Northumberland Wildfire Group
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Tel: 07771 945241
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Email: robert.stacey@northumberland.gov.uk
Angus Collingwood-Cameron, Northern Farmers and Landowners Group
Chair of the Northumberland Wildfire Group
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Email: aecc@nrpg.co.uk 
