Driest UK regions miss out on rain and warning of wildfire risk ahead of fourth summer heatwave

Driest UK regions miss out on rain and warning of wildfire risk ahead of fourth summer heatwave Fire chiefs are warning wildfires could become ‘exceptionally severe’ following the prolonged spell of dry weather - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments The UK’s most parched regions missed out on their chance for rain this weekend ahead of forecasts for the country’s fourth summer heatwave. While parts of the northern and western UK saw rainfall over the weekend, the driest areas in southern, eastern, and central England saw little to no relief following a month with no rain so far. It comes as parts of Wales have already declared drought status, while swathes of England are in “prolonged dry weather” status, which is the last stage before a drought is declared. Emergency services are preparing for wildfires, with parts of the South at risk of “exceptionally severe” fires. The country is bracing for its fourth summer heatwave this week as temperatures are expected to climb as high as 34C in the South East. Heat health alerts have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) across the South West, South East, London, the East of England, the West and East Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber from 9am on Tuesday until 9am on Friday. This summer has already seen record-breaking hot and dry conditions following on from the driest spring on record for England and Wales. Last month was England’s hottest June on record, the Met Office confirmed, hitting 37.7C in Lingwood, Norfolk on 26 June. The prolonged dry weather has left land and rivers drying up across southern and eastern England, with farmers warning the parched land could lead to food shortages later in the year. Emergency services are also preparing for further wildfires due to the dry land. At the height of the third heatwave in mid-July, firefighters were battling 19 significant wildfires simultaneously in England and Wales. A National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) spokesperson warned: “With the Met Office warning that a fourth heatwave could develop this week, bringing another period of very hot weather to parts of the UK, fire and rescue services remain on alert and are continuing to prepare for renewed wildfire risk.” Minister for intergovernmental relations Hamish Falconer said the country is preparing for serious wildfires like those currently in Spain and France. He told Sky News: "Obviously there are wildfires in Scotland as well, and we're in touch with the Scottish government about what support the British government can provide. "But yes, we are preparing, and we know that we need to go further. These are incredibly concerning scenes around Bordeaux and in Spain. "I think the Spanish government have been pretty clear that they think that the increasing ferocity of the wildfires that they face are a result of man-made climate change, and we do need to take those warnings very seriously indeed.” Southern England has had just 1 per cent of its average July rainfall, England has had 5 per cent and the UK as a whole 20 per cent, according to the Met Office. The dry spell has contributed to low water levels, and North Wales and the Upper Severn became the first part of the UK to declare drought status on Thursday. Fires, if they start, are likely to become exceptionally severe on Wednesday in pockets of east, south, and south-east England, according to Met Office data used by Natural England and Natural Resources Wales. The “exceptionally severe” warnings focus on eastern England on Thursday. The Fire Severity Index looks at data including rainfall, temperature and humidity, and agencies use it to assess the severity of fire if it starts. It does not cover the chances of wildfires occurring. Emergency crews have already spent days fighting large wildfires in Wales and Scotland that forced people to evacuate from their homes. Mike Kendon, a Met Office climate information scientist, warned: “What we used to think of as extreme, we increasingly consider as normal. “Every year is adding to the body of evidence showing climate change in the UK.” Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments