Is wildfire becoming a routine consideration in fire risk assessment?

For many years, wildfire has been regarded as a specialist hazard, primarily affecting forests, moorland and remote rural communities. Consequently, it has rarely featured in fire risk assessments except for premises located immediately adjacent to vegetation.

Recent events suggest that this assumption deserves reconsideration.

This summer has seen wildfires threaten major urban areas across Europe, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people, disrupting airports, railways, roads and electrical infrastructure, and affecting buildings well beyond the traditional wildland–urban interface. Similar patterns have emerged in the UK, where prolonged dry weather has led to significant grassland and heath fires in locations not previously associated with severe wildfire activity.

Fire risk assessments have long considered hazards originating outside a building. External fire spread from neighbouring premises, deliberate fire-setting and, where appropriate, lightning are all recognised because they represent reasonably foreseeable sources of fire.

The question is whether wildfire should now be viewed in the same way.

This does not mean every fire risk assessment requires a detailed wildfire analysis. However, it may now be appropriate for assessors to consider whether surrounding vegetation, topography, prevailing weather conditions or reliance on vulnerable access routes could expose a building to an external vegetation fire, or compromise evacuation and emergency response.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order requires a suitable and sufficient assessment of fire risk. As wildfire increasingly affects buildings, infrastructure and communities, the profession may need to consider whether this is becoming another foreseeable external hazard that merits routine consideration.

It is perhaps time for a simple question to become part of every assessor's thought process:

Could wildfire realistically affect this building?

Pyrology Insight provides commentary on contemporary fire safety topics. It is intended to stimulate professional discussion and should not be relied upon as project-specific advice.