Northumberland Fire Group is a coming together of the public and private sectors to tackle the increasing threat of large wildfires in rural parts of Northumberland. Members of the group include landowners, land agents, public sector bodies, farmers and in fact anyone with an interest in wildfire. At the request of Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service, RDI put together a plan for the creation of the Fire Group and then set about the long and complicated task of assembling the funding package to make the project work.
The support of key public sector bodies, including the MOD, Northumberland National Park and the Forestry Commission, were vital in demonstrating to the private sector that this was a serious initiative, and one which would bring real benefits. Buy-in from most of the large and many of the small estates in the county, and the chairmanship of the regional Director of the CLA. The group has brought a wide range of partners together under the umbrella of the fire group and delivered a range of activities, including the production of dozens of fire plans to a common template, the development and delivery of Basic and Advanced Wildfire Fighting courses.
The group has already delivered real benefits on the ground, with a test of its new networks and techniques coming early on with the major fire at Harbottle in April 2007. This fire was the most intense wild land fire in the UK in recent memory, and the speed with which it was brough under control was a testament to the skills of the fire service and the public and private sector members of the group working in partnership.
RDI play the essential role of independent facilitator for the group as well as putting together the funding package to enable the group's activities.
Read more about the Northumberland Fire Group here :
and about the Harbottle fire here :
www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk
