Farm fires cost Wales £6.2m in 2025, NFU report shows
NFU Mutual’s report reveals a 29% rise in farm fire costs across Wales, totalling £6.2m in 2025, amid record heat and dry conditions.
Farm fires have cost Welsh farmers an estimated £6.2 million in 2025, a rise of 29 per cent on the previous year, according to NFU Mutual’s latest Farm Fires Report.
The surge follows a summer of record temperatures and prolonged dry spells that have heightened fire risk across the countryside.
Across the United Kingdom, the total cost of farm‑related blazes climbed 18 per cent to roughly £118 million, while fires involving agricultural vehicles added another £32 million to the tally.
Tractor fires alone accounted for more than half of vehicle‑related losses, totalling £16.1 million, and combine harvester incidents contributed £4.8 million.
NFU Mutual identified arson, lightning strikes and electrical faults as the primary causes of fires affecting crops, buildings and equipment on farms.
In June, fire crews from Pembroke Dock, Milford Haven and Tenby tackled a blaze at a disused farmhouse in Monkton, Pembroke, extinguishing it before it reignited later in the day.
Owen Suckley, NFU Mutual Regional Manager for Wales, warned that “agriculture makes up the very fabric of rural Wales, and farmers are key to caring for our countryside, so to see the cost of fires rising by almost a third is devastating for the nation.”
He added that “as the UK recorded the highest temperatures and most hours of sunshine on record in 2025, and 2026 seeing more extreme dry periods record temperatures, the risk of uncontrollable blazes has never been higher.”
Suckley called for stronger policy, noting that “farmers do what they can to minimise risk, but prevention cannot fall to farmers alone.”
NFU Mutual’s Risk Management Services now offers pre‑harvest training workshops aimed at familiarising farmers with fire‑prevention tactics.
The insurer also provides discounts on agricultural vehicle insurance for policyholders who install accredited fire‑suppression systems on combine harvesters.
Industry experts say that ensuring rural fire and rescue stations receive adequate funding is essential to maintain rapid response capabilities over Wales’s expansive farmland.
Adopting water‑bowser adapters for fire engines and creating a national database of on‑farm water supplies are among the practical steps being urged.
Local authorities are encouraged to employ Public Space Protection Orders to curb high‑risk activities such as disposable barbecues and sky lanterns during periods of heightened fire danger.
Calls for a National Wildfire Strategy are growing, with proposals to set clear guidelines for prevention, preparedness and response, recognising the increasing threat to farmland.
Farmers are reminded to keep fire plans up to date, maintain electrical systems, control hot work, and ensure housekeeping standards reduce combustible material on site.
In the event of a fire, the advice remains to alert the fire and rescue service immediately, keep farm entrances clear for emergency vehicles and only attempt to fight the blaze if it is safe to do so.
With climate trends pointing to hotter, drier summers, the financial and operational impact of farm fires is set to remain a pressing concern for Wales’s agricultural community.