Bring back controlled burning. Protect our moors from wildfire.
We are calling on the Government to revoke the 2021 and 2025 heather burning regulations so land managers can carry out controlled burns, reduce fuel loads and protect peat soils, habitats, wildlife, people and infrastructure from increasingly devastating wildfires.
Takes two minutes. Open to British citizens and UK residents. Closes 23 April 2027.
Signed so far
754
8% of the way to 10,000
At 10,000 signatures the Government must respond. At 100,000 the petition will be considered for a debate in Parliament.
Watch: why we need controlled burning back on our moors
The fuel is building up
Since 2021, burning on peat deeper than 40cm on some protected sites has needed a Defra licence. From September 2025 this was extended to peat over 30cm in any Less Favoured Area, covering three times more land. Less managed burning means more fuel left on the hill.
Why this matters
Controlled burning has been used for generations to keep our moors healthy and safe. The regulations have taken that tool away from the people who know the land best, at the very moment wildfires are getting worse.
Controlled burns stop wildfires spreading
Burning in season, carried out by experienced land managers, safely removes surface fuel. It creates firebreaks across the moor and reduces the intensity of any wildfire that follows, giving firefighters something to work with.
Peat, wildlife and people are at risk
While the restrictions were being extended, the UK suffered record wildfires. An uncontrolled fire burns down into the peat itself, destroying habitat and the wildlife that depends on it, and threatening homes, infrastructure and lives.
Sign the petition
Click the button, then enter your name, email address and postcode on the Parliament petitions website.
How to sign
It takes two minutes, but there is one step people often miss. Your signature only counts once you have confirmed it by email.
Confirm by email
Check your inbox for an email from the Petitions Committee and click the link. Not there? Check your junk folder. Until you confirm, your signature is not counted.
Pass it on
Send the link to your shoot, your family and your neighbours. Every signature matters.
What happens next
The petition is open for six months. The more signatures it gathers, the harder it is for the Government to ignore.
23 October 2026
Petition published
Open for signatures on the UK Parliament petitions website.
10,000 signatures
Government responds
The Government must publish a formal written response.
100,000 signatures
Considered for debate
The Petitions Committee will consider it for a debate in Parliament.
23 April 2027
Petition closes
No more signatures can be added after this date.