For many centuries, firefighting was not an organised service and relied on primitive equipment such as leather buckets, hooks and grappling irons. However, there is some evidence that the corps of Vigiles - the firefighting forces of the Romans - operated in Britain during their occupation.

One of the first fire prevention measures was taken by William the Conqueror who ordered that all fires be extinguished at sunset by placing a metal cover over the fire; this was called the "couvre feu", from which the word 'curfew' is derived.

Church bells were also used to raise the fire alarm, by ringing reverse peels, and this method of calling volunteer firemen persisted in rural areas until the 20th century.

With the growth of towns, some attempts were made to reduce the risk of fire. In London, new houses were ordered to be built of stone with tile roofs, with a bucket of water kept ready outside each house and supplies of buckets, ladders and hooks stored in churches.

Organised fire brigades in Britain originated with insurance company brigades attached to fire insurance offices which were established after the Great Fire of London in 1666. Originally, these brigades were intended to deal only with fires in premises insured with the company concerned and identified by fire marks placed on the building.

In 1833 the insurance company brigades were amalgamated to form the London Fire Engine Establishment. In the meantime, municipal brigades had been formed in a few other towns - Edinburgh in 1824, Manchester in 1828 - but the voluntary principle continued to prevail.

In 1866 the London Fire Engine Establishment was taken over by the Metropolitan Board of Works, under the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act of 1885, which established the London Fire Brigade and for the first time, placed the duty of extinguishing fires in London upon a public authority.

The statutory fire protection afforded to London was not extended to other areas and during the 19th century many voluntary brigades were formed all over the country. Local authorities were, however, empowered to meet the expenditure of maintaining a fire brigade out of the rates and a number took advantage of this power.

It was not until the Fire Brigades Act of 1938 that legislation created Fire Authorities throughout Great Britain and required local authority councils to provide a firefighting organisation for their areas - the first time that everyone became entitled to receive the services of a fire brigade without charge.

The Fire Brigades Act never became fully operative owing to the outbreak of the Second World War. At this time there were 1,400 local authority brigades in England and Wales, and about 185 in Scotland.

In 1941 all brigades were formed into the National Fire Service under the direction of the Home Officer and Scottish Office.

In 1948 responsibility for the fire services was restored by the Fire Services Act 1947 to local authorities, but two important differences characterised the post-war from the pre-war services - the small number of authorities, and the element of central control was retained. The 1947 Act obliged Fire Authorities to give goodwill safety advice on request.

With local government re-organisation in 1974 the number of local authority fire brigades in England and Wales has been reduced to 55, and in Scotland 6 regional authorities have the responsibility for the provision of fire services.

Various Legislation has been passed that requires Fire Authorities to participate to varying degrees in the enforcement of public safety issues. The most prominent of these legislative responsibilities are the Fire Precautions Act 1971 and the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations of 1977 as amended 1999.

Further adjustments to the arrangements for providing local government have resulted in Fire Authorities now being drawn from three main types of local authority. In 1986 the responsibility for the provision of fire services was transferred from the six metropolitan county councils and Greater London Councils to seven new fire and civil defence authorities, with the means to raise revenues and retain balances to ensure the provision of a local firefighting capability. The process was partially repeated when the Local Government Bill was enacted which resulted in the formulation of Combined Fire Authorities who precept their District Councils for finance to allow their activities. Only a minority of fire brigades now form part of a county council.