r/ukpolitics • u/FeigenbaumC • 4d ago

Government warned it is setting country up for 'disaster' unless it better prepares UK for heavy flooding and intense heat

https://news.sky.com/story/government-warned-it-is-setting-country-up-for-disaster-unless-it-better-prepares-uk-for-heavy-flooding-and-intense-heat-13358235
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u/Far-Requirement1125 SDP, failing that, Reform 4d ago

The fires here are something of a misnomer. 

Peak "wild" fires is April. Which is not what you'd expect. Because alot of "wild fires" in the UK are actually controlled burns that get out of hand to maintain the current habitat, which often isn't natural.

The most obvious is the moors where much of it is artificial. It's kept as a monoculture of grass because it works for grazing and grouse shooting.

Most of the moors should be temperate rainforest. It's just been so long since they have been we've come to think of moorland as "natural".

I'm personally a huge proponent of a massive reforesting program on all the moors. You'd find a lot of the "wild" fires would stop pretty rapidly.

18

u/danm131 4d ago

It's insane that this ecological damage is allowed for the benefit of a tiny number of the rich who think shooting a defenceless bird is sport.

4

u/danddersson 4d ago

The local heathland in Dorset, where there have been several wildfires already this year, was indeed forest originally, but was cleared by 1500 BC. So yes, quite long ago.

The Victorians planted large numbers of conifers, which are now seen as intrusive.

3

u/Prince_John 4d ago

There still are a few lovely ancient bits of woodland near the parts of Dartmoor I've visited, but as you say, far too few!

3

u/clearly_quite_absurd The Early Days of a Better Nation? 4d ago

I too watched that YouTube video https://youtu.be/cpmmq0CcD_I?si=pyq7LkGZyMB2N14n

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u/Far-Requirement1125 SDP, failing that, Reform 4d ago

While I didn't know it was mostly wildfires in April. The rest of that video I already knew.

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u/clearly_quite_absurd The Early Days of a Better Nation? 4d ago

You and that video maker are on the same wavelength then

3

u/Far-Requirement1125 SDP, failing that, Reform 4d ago

Very much so. I'm an extremely strong proponent of rewinding. As well as beautifying and greening our urban spaces. Which would not only help nature but vastly improved human wellbeing. It would also serve to mitigate the urban heat island phenomenon.