Our letter to The Times: Preventing wildfires on National Trust land

Sir:

As a result of climate change bringing us longer dryer summers, we are experiencing an increase in the number and intensity of wildfires. It is bizarre that the National Trust has demanded politicians act to protect its properties from such changes (News, Nov 20) whilst simultaneously increasing the risk through its own policies. From Brimham Rocks in North Yorkshire to Howden Moor in Derbyshire the National Trust has abandoned its former policy of conducting controlled winter burns and mowing to reduce the volume of vegetation available to a damaging wildfire. This new vogue of land abandonment has resulted in moorland fuel loads exceeding the wildfire fighting capability of any nation on the globe. Perhaps the National Trust might consider recruiting a wildfire fighting specialist to join its 14,000 staff before making demands of our politicians.

Andrew Gilruth

Chairman

Regional Moorland Groups