ISIS supporters in Britain handed guide urging them to start wildfires and 'overwhelm' emergency services

Militants loyal to Islamic State in Britain have received detailed online guidance urging them to deliberately ignite wildfires as a way to overwhelm emergency responders. The guide carries the title 'Burn down your first forest and exhaust the workers of the tyrant'. The forum blends IS propaganda with arson instruction, covering topics such as avoiding forensic detection, lighting fires covertly, and methods to 'fool the enemies of Allah'. Counter-terrorism analyst Moustafa Ayad notes that IS calls for arson go back to 2017, with comparable content previously appearing in the IS magazine 'Rumiyah'. The find came to light weeks after Labour's emergency wildfire alert was pushed to millions of phones across Britain, prompting criticism that the alert effectively signalled the country's vulnerability to would-be attackers.

Forum members have reportedly discussed particular targets, among them residential properties and a court building, with comments observing that officers and civilians would be on the scene.

Retired police officer Norman Brennan has argued that publishing such material amounts to criminal incitement and called on the authorities to take action against the forum.

The Government has stated that no evidence exists directly connecting the forum's activity to any of the wildfires that have already broken out across the UK this summer.