Farm fire costs in Northern Ireland rose 73% last year, prompting call for rescue service investment
An NFU Mutual report estimates that fires cost Northern Ireland farmers about £11.8 million in 2025. Local MLA Diana Armstrong is urging more investment in rural fire and rescue services.
Diana Armstrong, a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA), deputy leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and its agriculture spokesperson, has called for greater investment in rural fire and rescue services. She was responding to a report by the farm insurer NFU Mutual, which found that the cost of fires on Northern Ireland farms rose 73% in 2025 to an estimated £11.8 million.
Costs rising faster than elsewhere
According to the report, losses in Northern Ireland grew four times faster than the UK average. Across the United Kingdom, fires cost farmers an estimated £118 million in 2025, which is 18% more than in 2024. Fires involving agricultural vehicles added a further £32 million. Tractor fires accounted for over half of the vehicle total at £16.1 million, while combine harvester fires cost £4.8 million.
The largest losses in the UK were in the east of England, a region with extensive arable land, where they reached an estimated £23.9 million.
Heat and the response
The NFU Mutual report noted that record temperatures in 2025 raised the risk of fires, and that continuing hot, dry weather this year is worrying farmers.
Armstrong said farmers can check machinery and electrics, think about yard safety and, where worthwhile, consider fire suppression systems. However, she argued that prevention cannot fall to farmers alone. She stressed the need for proper equipment and better access to water supplies in emergencies.
The MLA said she will ask what assessment has been made of rural fire service response times and of water access for firefighters in rural areas.
