Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) will now operate as part of the National Wildfire Teams, with the capability to be deployed across England and Wales during periods of increased wildfire risk. The new designation follows specialist training backed by the National Resilience programme. Rob Stacey, wildfire team leader at NFRS, said: "We are incredibly proud that Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service has been selected as one of the national wildfire response teams. "As wildfire risk continues to grow, this investment in specialist training, equipment and national coordination will strengthen our ability to protect communities, critical infrastructure and the environment both in Northumberland and across the country." Personnel received advanced training in both the UK and abroad, including tactical burn training in South Africa and a course in Texas.