Hampshire's Fire Brigades Union said this week that the battle with the Government had moved on from the 40% pay claim.

Wayne Parsons, an Eastleigh firefighter, said: "The claim is almost secondary now to the fact that we have been forced to defend the entire British fire service."

He said the Bain Report was demanding cuts to the fire brigade as part of modernisationand firefighters were now striking to preserve their service.

"The Government's case is purely based on cutting costsand ours is based on improvements," he added.

"Firefighters have become another breed, not human anymore, and I find that so wrong when they're some of the most caring people in the community. We are just not being treated as adults by the Government."

His claim came just ahead of the eight-day strike, due to start at 9am today (Friday). Crucial talks to try to head off the strike were under way as the Hampshire Chronicle went to press.

Union leaders said earlier this week there was still no suggestion of a fresh pay offer, despite hopes that a settlement could be agreed on a 16% rise.

But Mr Parsons said he hoped the strike would be called off. "I'm always optimistic, that's probably my downfall," he said. "I think our case is getting stronger and stronger as more chinks appear in the Government."

HCC chiefs heard this week that they may face an annual bill of £5m if firefighters won their claim. Tory member, David Kirk, said the council would have to meet 80% of the bill for any wage rises. He added that a 16% pay rise would cost the county £2m in this financial year and £5m in the next.

Council leader, Ken Thornber, said he would like to see Hampshire Fire Authority charging homes individually, like the police. "If it was a precepting authority, everyone would know what it cost and could judge the service."

Current estimates suggest the fire service will get £39m in the next financial year 4.2% of the total budget.

But Michael Woodhall, one of 23 councillors on the Hampshire Fire Authority, said: "Our finances are under total control and we know where we're going."

A military spokesman said precautions would be similar to those for the 48-hour strike. "Winchester will have the same level of cover. We were pleased at the way the Armed Forces coped."

He added that there were 40 call-outs in Hampshire during last week's strike and only one in Winchester, a false alarm at the King George V playing fields, Highcliffe. There were no major fires and very few hoax calls.

Sub-officer Dave Graham, of Winchester's North Walls fire station, thanked the public for its support as firefighters manned the picket lines. "We were overwhelmed. People were dropping off food, giving money to the benevolent fund, talking to us and drivers were hooting horns."

The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment will lose Christmas leave if the firefighters' strike goes ahead today.

CO of the 1st Battalion, Lt-Col James Cameron, said that after a six-and-a-half-month tour in Kosovo, he was hoping to let the soldiers have holiday time, but they would have to train to fight fires instead