Jess Brown-Fuller MP urges Government to strengthen West Sussex’s wildfire resilience

Following a summer of unprecedented wildfires across the country, Jess Brown-Fuller MP has called on Ministers to meet with her and West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service to discuss the service’s long-term resilience.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Jess set out the urgent need for improved funding and resourcing to protect Chichester residents from fires. She highlighted that West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service currently lacks dedicated wildfire personal protective equipment, and that its newest off-road vehicle is well over 20 years old.

Jess previously met with the team at Chichester Fire Station in November 2025, where she discussed the financial situation, fire service equipment, and the fragile nature of fire service coverage across county lines.

This summer has seen communities across the UK heavily impacted by wildfires, driven by one of the hottest and driest summers on record. In July, the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service issued a warning for exceptional wildfire risk around Arundel, Bognor Regis and Chichester. This followed several incidents across Sussex, including a major wildfire at Devil’s Dyke, a field fire in Nutbourne, a verge fire beside the A27 near Boxgrove, and a large fire on the South Downs in Eastbourne.

In Parliament, Jess said:

“On the subject of wildfires, the Prime Minister has said that he does not believe our fire service have the right equipment, and I could not agree with him more. West Sussex fire and rescue service currently does not have access to wildfire personal protective equipment, and its newest off-road vehicle is 26 years old.  

“Will the First Secretary of State or the relevant Minister please meet me and the chief fire officer of West Sussex Fire and Rescue to talk about how we can ensure that we keep the services on a sustainable financial footing so that they can keep us safe and we can also keep them safe?”

The First Secretary responded that “these issues will be considered by the wildfire summit” announced by the Prime Minister this week.

After, Jess said:

“Our firefighters are doing extraordinary work in increasingly dangerous conditions, but they cannot be expected to keep residents safe without modern equipment and long-term, sustainable investment.

“This summer has shown that wildfire risk is no longer a distant concern. It is here, and it is already affecting communities across West Sussex.

“I will continue pressing Ministers to meet with our local Fire and Rescue Service and ensure our crews have the resources they need to protect residents, and themselves.”