The military component will include Royal Air Force Chinook helicopters and transport aircraft equipped to fight wildfires. (RAF pic)LONDON: UK military helicopters and planes will be equipped to fight wildfires, prime minister Andy Burnham announced late Thursday ahead of hosting England's first "resilience" summit focused on the growing threat they pose.
English firefighting services will also get additional specialist wildfire teams and lightweight personal protective equipment, as the government said it was earmarking up to £45 million (US$60 million) to counter the increase in blazes.
The UK has faced widespread droughts, extreme heat and resulting wildfires each summer in recent years, in a trend scientists have blamed on man-made climate change.
