Firefighters will stage short-burst strikes over eight consecutive days starting today, as they turn up the heat in their fight with ministers over pensions and the retirement age.

Workers will walk out of their fire stations for two-hour periods, during which management is likely to implement contingency plans. These have previously included drafting in police forces and the army to break strikes.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) is fighting Fire Minister Brandon Lewis's attempts to raise members’ retirement age from 55 to 60 and to increase employee pension contributions.

The action comes the week after firefighters joined workers from across the public sector in what was thought to be one of the biggest strikes since 1926.

Sian Griffiths, who has been on strike from London’s Paddington fire station, said: “There have been repeated attacks on our pensions — and now we’re being told we’re going to have to work longer too.

“It doesn’t make sense. It’s been proved that beyond 55 workers may be deemed unfit to fight fires anyway.

“It’s all being pushed through in the name of austerity. But I think austerity is a smokescreen for redistributing wealth from poor to rich. We need Robin Hood back — or Rabina hood even.”

For the next eight days workers will withdraw their labour twice daily — though Sunday will see only one short-burst strike. 

Fire brigade chiefs have urged parents to remind their children about the perils of hoax calls to the fire brigade, as the strikes coincide with school holidays.

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said on Friday he would “make himself available” for emergency talks with Mr Lewis to find a settlement to the dispute.