PRIME Minister Tony Blair last night ordered Downing Street's emergencies committee to produce a battle plan for the imminent series of firefighters' strikes.

Civil servants from the Ministry of Defence, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, and other key Whitehall departments are expected to meet today.

The committee - nicknamed Cobra - has previously convened over the September 11 attacks, the foot-and-mouth epidemic, and the fuel protests.

A Number 10 spokeswoman said that Mr Blair still hoped the Government would not have to cope with the first fire service strike in 25 years.

But there is no doubt the Prime Minister is determined not to give in to the firefighters' demand for a near 40 per cent pay rise.

The dispute threatened to escalate yesterday when Britain's biggest rail union warned of simultaneous action and other unions defended the Fire Brigades Union's (FBU) pay claim.

With the first 48-hour walkout due to begin on Tuesday next week, FBU leader Andy Gilchrist said his union was still prepared to talk to local authority employers or ministers.

But he warned: "We will no longer let our commitment to the safety of the public blackmail us on the issue of poor pay."

The Government plans to bring in troops using ageing Green Goddess tenders to provide limited cover during the six planned stoppages.

Nick Raynsford, the Minister with day to day responsibility for managing the dispute, said using fire brigades' own equipment could inflame the situation.

Also yesterday, part-time firefighters insisted they would be able to provide adequate emergency cover for much of the country during the strikes.

Colin Ive, president of the anti-strike Retained Firefighters Union, said: "Around 90 per cent of the landmass of the UK is covered by retained firefighters. Of course, in the cities there will be problems, but for much of the country and many areas it will be business as usual."

The Government also faces the prospect of simultaneous action on the rail network.

Secondary action in support of another union is banned by law, but RMT union leader Bob Crow said the lack of fire cover could leave rail workers at risk.

Mr Raynsford said only 19 of London Underground's deepest stations would be affected but Mr Crow pledged to ballot for strike action if staff who felt at risk were forced to work.

The Prime Minister is only expected to become involved in managing the strike if the walkouts go ahead.

Last night a Downing Street spokeswoman said: "We are still hoping that will not happen. We don't want to go back to the bad old days of unnecessary industrial action."

However, other unions voiced support for the FBU, which has rejected a Government pay review and is demanding 40 per cent for its members.

GMB general secretary John Edmonds said: "I think everybody in the country would accept that if you're going to find a special case, firefighters is about the top of the queue for special cases."

Members of County Dur-ham and Darlington Fire Authority will be told on Thursday that the Ministry of Defence is likely to respond only to life-threatening incidents.

Automatic fire alarms connected to receiving centres will not automatically be attended and occupiers will have to ring 999 to confirm that there is an emergency.

Support for the firefighters spilled on to a North Yorkshire football pitch at the weekend. It happened when a firefighter scored in the match at Harrogate Town against Lancaster City in the Unibond League Premier Division.

City player Brian Welch hit a 70th minute goal and celebrated by unfurling a banner supporting the pay dispute.