Kent Fire and Rescue Service
Creating a safer future – together: Risk assessment

Wildfires are a natural occurrence in many parts of the world, particularly in areas with hot and dry climates. In the UK, we experience extremely hot summers with increasing regularity which is increasing the frequency and impact of wildfires.

The risk of wildfires is influenced, and can be increased, by:

(a) weather conditions − high temperatures, low humidity and strong winds, can increase the risk.

(b) vegetation − drought conditions make vegetation more prone to catching fire.

(c) human activities −  items such as campfires, cigarettes, fireworks, and other sources of open flames can easily ignite dry vegetation, while certain land use practices, such as logging and clearing, can remove natural barriers that prevent fires from spreading.

Wildfires can cause direct harm to people as follows:

• injuries and loss of life
• property damage
• causing destruction in their path when spreading out of control, forcing people to evacuate their homes
• respiratory problems caused by smoke, particularly in relation to vulnerable populations such as children, elderly, and those with pre-existing respiratory conditions

Wildfires can also have indirect impacts on people through their effects on the environment and economy.

Social and psychological costs from wildfires include:

• significant disruption to communities
• evacuations
• displacement
• loss of personal property.
• fear and uncertainty caused by wildfires can have lasting impacts on people's mental health and well-being.

In the summer of 2022, we experienced an intense period of wildfires, occasioned by very  high temperatures and a long period without rain. Responding to wildfires placed significant demand on our resources. For example, attending one wildfire on Dartford Heath required one third of our operational fleet (30 fire engines) impacting our ability to respond elsewhere.

As a result, we have invested in new firefighting equipment and improvements to welfare arrangements for crews, who suffer intense physical strain when fighting wildfires.

With the changing climate, wildfires are going to become more frequent. We therefore need to further develop our procedures and capabilities to help keep people and places safe.

• work with landowners, partner agencies and communities to better manage green spaces, reducing the risk of fires spreading to homes and other buildings
• provide additional wildfire training and equipment to our operational colleagues
• continue to invest in specialist vehicles designed to help with firefighting in locations that are difficult to access
• maintain specialist wildfire response teams at strategic locations
• continue to develop our national wildfire tactical advisors through local, national and international support
• continue to develop our internal provision of wildfire tactical advisors
• engage with partners and land and property owners to inform, educate, and subsequently mitigate the impact wildfire has on communities through the national Firewise initiative
• continue to use intelligence to inform campaign activity

• deploy specialist wildfire resources to assist in the management of wildfire incidents
• deploy wildfire tactical advisors to assist in the co-ordination of wildfire incidents
• utilise drone assets for reconnaissance and situational awareness during wildfire incidents
• use assurance monitoring system to gather service-wide and multi-agency learning post incident
• report areas of notable practice or learning via national or collaborative bodies (national operational learning and joint organisational learning)
• work with partner agencies during the emergency and recovery phase
• effective investigatory work into the cause of fire which subsequently feeds into national wildfire databases
• targeted prevention activities post incident
• utilise or support existing mutual aid arrangements
• provide business support to ensure safe re-opening of businesses during and post wildfire events
   

Flooding can have a devastating and long- term impact on people’s lives. Everywhere in the UK is at risk from at least one form of flooding. There are three main types of flooding considered within this document:

• coastal (where high tides and storm surges combine to cause the sea to flood inland)
• rivers and streams, known as ‘fluvial flooding’ (where waterways overflow their banks into surrounding areas)
• surface water (where rainfall overwhelms drainage systems)

When flooding occurs, infrastructure (such as bridges) and flood defenses can sometimes be overwhelmed with little, if any, notice, leading to additional disruption. It is also possible for all three forms of flooding to occur in different locations around Kent at the same time.

Consequences of flooding may include:

• fatalities and casualties
• long term mental health impacts
• people displaced from homes and businesses for long periods of time
• widespread damage to property and infrastructure
• disruption to essential services, particularly transport and energy
• environmental damage or contamination (particularly by sewage)

The UK’s Climate Change Risk Assessment, last published in 2022, highlighted that more intense rainfall, more extreme weather and wetter winters are projected to increase the threat of damage and disruption as a result of all types of flooding.

• maintain wading response capability, equipment, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) across all operational stations
• maintain swift water rescue, flood rescue technicians and boat capability at strategic locations
• maintain DEFRA boat capability
• provide Water & Flood Incident Managers (WFIMs)
• maintain our high-volume pump and hose layer capability
• continue working with partners to develop multi-agency flood plans and rapid catchment flood area response plans
• continue to work collaboratively with key partners for training and equipment provision
• water safety boards (information, advice and guidance) positioned at prominent water risk sites
• education packages offered to all secondary schools
• targeted and intelligence led water safety campaigns delivered
• continue to engage with local businesses within high-risk flood areas to provide guidance and ensure fire safety measures are considered in business continuity planning

• deploy specialist water rescue resources to assist in the rescue and evacuation of those affected by flooding
• deploy high-volume pumps and hose layer to mitigate the impact of flooding
• utilise drone assets for reconnaissance and situational awareness during wide area flooding
• provide Water & Flood Incident Managers (WFIMs)
• report areas of notable practice or learning via national or collaborative bodies (national operational learning and joint organisational learning)
• work with partner agencies during the emergency and recovery phase
• targeted prevention activities post incident
• work with partner agencies during the emergency and recovery phase

The changing climate is resulting in storms that are becoming more frequent and more intense. Particular impacts that affect our fire and rescue response include:

• More intense rainfall: the UK has experienced more frequent and intense rainfall events in recent years, which has caused flooding and damage to infrastructure. This means we receive a large number of emergency calls in a very short space of time (known as ‘spate’ conditions). We have to deploy fire engines and specialist vehicles to rescue people from their homes or vehicles.
• Increased risk of coastal flooding: sea levels around the UK are rising, and this is increasing the risk of coastal flooding during storms. This is a particular concern for low-lying areas and coastal communities. In Kent, one of the highest risks we face is a ‘tidal surge’ event. In this scenario large areas of the county would be cut off and there would be a need to assist with rescuing large numbers of people. This would be made worse by the fact that large coastal areas elsewhere in the UK would likely be impacted at the same time – leading to difficulty in drawing on support from other services.
• More frequent and severe winter storms: the UK has experienced more frequent and severe winter storms in recent years which can cause widespread damage to buildings, roads, and infrastructure. High winds mean we are often called to make safe buildings or structures that may collapse. Like flooding, we receive high levels of demand over a relatively short period of time.
• More lightning strikes: climate change is also affecting the frequency and intensity of lightning strikes in the UK, causing serious building fires.

• working with partners to plan for major incidents because of storms including providing aid to isolated communities and shelter for people whose homes become uninhabitable
• improving the way we use data sources to predict when demand will be highest,  to ensure we increase the number of resources we have available to respond
• ensuring we have the right range of skills and equipment to be able to rescue people from collapsed buildings and make buildings safe, for example, shoring up
• maintain wading response capability, equipment, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) across all operational stations
• maintain swift water rescue, flood rescue technicians and boat capability at strategic locations
• maintain DEFRA boat capability
• provide flood water incident managers (FWIMs)
• maintain our high-volume pump and hose layer capability
• continue working with partners to develop multi-agency flood plans and rapid catchment flood area response plans

• receive and respond to Met Office and Environment Agency storm warnings in place to ensure our resources are at maximum readiness for predicted storms
• train Fire Control colleagues to receive 999 calls from the public, triage incidents, give safety advice and deploy appropriate resources. 
• during surges in storm related activity, we may have to deploy resources exclusively to life risk incidents
• deploy response resources as required to incidents generated by storms, for example   fire appliances and crews for lightning strikes, boats and pumps for flooding, Technical Rescue team for structural damage and fallen trees that threaten public safety
• provide support to partner agencies through Strategic and Tactical Coordinating Groups to assist in mitigating community impact
• post storm, co-ordinate with partners to deploy our resources to non-life risk incidents to help support customer and community recovery from the storm impacts.

Extreme temperatures can pose several risks to human health, infrastructure, and the environment.

During heatwaves there is an increased risk of heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and dehydration, particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly, young children, and those with underlying health conditions. Extreme heat can also worsen existing health conditions, such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

During extreme cold temperatures, there is a risk of hypothermia and other cold-related illnesses. This risk is made worse by fuel poverty (when people cannot afford to heat their homes). Cold weather can also exacerbate respiratory conditions such as asthma and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Extreme temperatures can also damage infrastructure and the environment. For example, high temperatures can cause roads and train tracks to buckle, and prolonged droughts can lead to water shortages and damage crops.

Periods of intense and prolonged heat also lead to more frequent wildfires – see section 1 ‘Wildfires’.

We also see more frequent road traffic collisions occurring during periods of extreme cold, as roads become icy and driving conditions become more difficult. Our response is also impacted by road conditions meaning our attendance time to incidents increases.

• work with partners through the Kent Resilience Forum to assess the risks associated with extremes of temperature and determine how best to respond as a partnership
• maintain our commitment to co-responding and support to the health sector as extremes of temperature results in increased demand in these areas
• maintain our range of 4x4 capabilities to ensure we can move resources in the event of snow and ice
• provide additional wildfire training and equipment to our operational colleagues
• continue to invest in specialist vehicles designed to help with firefighting in locations that are difficult to access
• maintain specialist wildfire response teams at strategic locations
• continue to develop our national wildfire tactical advisors through local, national and international support
• continue to develop our internal provision of wildfire tactical advisors

• have arrangements to receive and respond to the Meterological Office ( Met Office)  and Environment Agency extreme weather communications to ensure our resources are at maximum readiness for predicted adverse weather.
• our Fire Control colleagues are trained to receive 999 calls from the public, triage incidents, give safety advice and deploy appropriate resources.
• prioritise life risk incidents during periods of extreme demand
• deploy specialist wildfire resources to be able to respond as effectively as possible.
• use our strategic reserve arrangements to meet the extra demand
• increase the number of resources available to support the health sector
• deploy our 4x4 vehicles and snow chains and snow tyres across our response fleet of fire and specialist appliances ahead of forecast snow and ice
• provide support to partner agencies through Strategic and Tactical Coordinating Groups to assist in mitigating community impact
• post the peak of adverse weather demand work with other partner agencies to deploy resources to support customer and community recovery.

Parts of Kent sit on rock that forms part of an ‘aquifer’ – an area of land that holds water below the surface. This water can be used to provide drinking water supplies and is vulnerable to pollutants that can soak through the rock into this water.

Much of the county is coastal. Pollution in these waters be harmful to marine animals and habitats and impact on the many beaches in the county, frequently used by locals and tourists.

Kent also hosts significant industries, which can pose a risk to the environment in the event of accidents.

As a result, we need to be well prepared to respond to threats to the environment. This includes working with partners to contain pollution from hazardous materials spillages.

We also need to be careful not to become a polluter. When we fight fires, the water that we use can mix with what is on fire and create polluted fire water run-off. We have a legal obligation to reduce this pollution as far as possible. To do this we align our procedures to national best practice, and provide our crews with equipment to contain spills, and monitor smoke plumes.

• training our firefighters to ensure that they understand the environmental implications of the tactics that they adopt
• work with the environment agency to introduce new techniques that help us to reduce damage to the environment from incidents and firefighting activities
• working with partners in the Kent Resilience Forum to develop joint response plans to incidents involving pollution
• work with businesses and landowners to identify high risk environmental activities and develop response plans should an incident occur

• conduct thorough Environmental Risk Assessments of our activities to ensure that our tactics take account of environmental vulnerabilities
• respond with specialist equipment to help prevent pollution entering vulnerable areas such as the water course
• liaise closely with the Environment Agency to agree joint response plans

The risk of earthquakes in Kent is very low. Minor earthquakes have occurred in the past, but the UK does not sit near a tectonic plate boundary. Building stock in Kent is generally of a high standard.

The most recent earthquake of note in Kent occurred on 28 April 2007. Measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale, it impacted the Southeast of the county, damaging over 450 properties. A quarter of these were badly damaged and required structural assessments and remedial work before people could occupy them again. Kent Fire and Rescue Service responded to numerous calls to make buildings safe. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured or killed.

Whilst the likelihood of a serious earthquake is very low, we do have the capability to respond to rescues from collapsed buildings. Specifically, we have an Urban Search and Rescue team who are trained and experienced in responding to these types of incidents both in the UK and internationally.

• continue to invest in our Urban Search and Rescue team to ensure they maintain specialist skill sets for dealing with incidents such as collapsed buildings
• continue to maintain our ability to work safely at height to be able to make buildings safe
• maintain our mutual aid relationships with other fire and rescue services

• we can scale up our resources, with regional and national resources if incident demand peaks following an event such as an earthquake
• respond with specialist teams, such as our Urban Search and Rescue team, to be able to conduct search and rescue operations in collapsed buildings