Environmental management becomes significantly more complex when land is contaminated with UXO. On the Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA), Artios Global is demonstrating how government assured Explosive Ordnance Clearance (EOC) services can enable vital wildfire-management and conservation work to proceed safely.

Integrated UXO clearance and wildfire management — Enabling Wildfire Management through Explosive Ordnance Clearance

The challenge

SPTA is the UK’s largest live-fire impact area. Its extensive grassland supports important habitats and species, but accumulated vegetation can increase the risk and potential severity of wildfires.

Managing this vegetation requires cutting, mulching and conservation grazing. However, the confirmed high levels of UXO contamination create significant issues for environmental, land remediation and development projects. Conventional environmental management activities, such as establishment and maintenance of firebreaks, cannot proceed safely without specialist explosive ordnance clearance and related risk management activities.

The MOD therefore required an integrated solution that would reduce wildfire risk while protecting personnel, livestock and the environment.

UXO in a wildfire area — Aerial Bombs located to in area previously subjected to a wildfire

Our solution

Artios was awarded a three-year contract to deliver wildfire-management support across SPTA. The service has two principal elements:

Explosive ordnance clearance and the associated vegetation cutting and mulching to establish and maintain a network of more than 25 km of firebreaks.
Emergency UXO clearance support for farmers, allowing livestock to graze within the main impact area to control vegetation growth naturally.

Both elements are delivered twice annually during designated no-fire periods.

Artios manages the complete process, from assessment and operational planning, to UXO clearance, and vegetation cutting and mulching. This includes supplying and transporting explosives to the site and maintaining the necessary Home Office, police and MOD approvals.

Artios explosive ordnance clearance team

First operational cycle completed

The first delivery cycle was completed on schedule and to the MOD’s required standards during July and August 2026.

During the works, the team identified numerous UXO items and conducted 19 controlled on-site demolitions. This enabled the planned vegetation management and grazing activities to continue.

All work completed also passed the MOD ecologists’ quality control inspections, demonstrating that rigorous Explosive Ordnance Clearance and high environmental standards can be delivered together.

UXO find UK — Multiple live UXO items of UXO in the Firebreaks

Supporting conservation through assured risk management

This project illustrates a wider principle: the presence of UXO does not have to prevent environmental land management projects.

With early specialist input and an appropriately assured delivery model, UXO risk can be managed as part of a wider conservation programme. This can help organisations undertake:

Habitat restoration and vegetation management
Wildfire prevention and firebreak maintenance
Conservation grazing
Peatland, wetland and woodland restoration
Ecological surveys and monitoring
Access and infrastructure improvements

Artios is the only MOD assured supplier able to provide this integrated wildfire-management service and one of only two commercial organisations assured to conduct Explosive Ordnance Clearance on the Defence Estate.

As wildfire risk increases across the UK and Europe, this capability provides a practical model for supporting conservation organisations, environmental consultancies and land managers working on UXO contaminated land.

Integrated explosive ordnance clearance and wildfire management — Established firebreak through impact area post Explosive Ordnance Clearance

Planning work on UXO-contaminated land?

Artios can support projects from initial risk assessment through to clearance, on-site disposal and operational assurance, helping environmental teams deliver safely and with confidence.

Contact us to discuss your project or request a capability briefing.

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