More than 700 wildfires have so far been recorded this year across England and Wales, with the figures not accounting for blazes such as the one in Cairngorms, Scotland
The risk of wildfires “remains elevated across the UK” as more than 200 incidents have been recorded in the last 12 days.
If fires started in London, the South East or East of England during the heatwave, the blazes could be exceptionally severe due to the hot, dry conditions. An amber heat-health alert has been issued again by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) covering the East Midlands, the East and South East of England and London.
The warning came into force today and will stay in place until Thursday, with the hot temperatures posing a threat to health risks, particularly for those in vulnerable age groups like the elderly. A total of 706 wildfires were reported to fire and rescue services across England and Wales so far this year.
Of those, 208 incidents were recorded in less than a fortnight, between July 16 and 28, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said. The figures, however, do not account for wildfires across Scotland and Northern Ireland.
This means blazes like the one in Cairngorms in Scotland, which firefighters have been battling for two weeks now, were not included in the statistics. The incident, which saw families being ordered to leave their homes, shows “how quickly wildfire activity can increase during prolonged periods of hot and dry weather”.
Fire chiefs warned that wildfire risks “remains elevated across the UK”, as NFCC explained eight live wildfire incidents are currently being monitored. Firefighters in Derbyshire continue to “make progress at the major wildfire incident at Tintwistle Moor”, where 60 crew members were sent today.
Still, figures across England and Wales remain lower than the 788 recorded by this time last year. However, NFCC warned that “continued dry conditions, combined with warmer temperatures and harvesting activity in many rural areas” were creating conditions in which fires can start and spread rapidly.
Images showed widespread brown grass across Blackheath in London, with parched dry grass present in many parks in the capital following the hot weather. It comes as Royal Parks staff were advised not to leave deckchairs under trees over fears branches will fall during hot weather.
Countries across Europe are also burning as large-scale wildfires have hit parts of Spain, France, Greece and Italy. This led to evacuations and significant damage, along with sustained pressure on emergency services, who are now struggling to fight the enormity of the fires.
The NFCC said UK wildfires are typically smaller and different in nature to those seen in southern Europe, adding, however, that the “long-term effects of climate change are increasing the likelihood of larger, more complex and more resource-intensive wildfire incidents occurring”.
Phil Garrigan, chairman of the NFCC, said: “More than 200 wildfires in just 12 days shows how quickly the risk can escalate when hot, dry conditions take hold. The scenes we’re seeing across parts of Europe are a stark reminder of what a changing climate means for fire and rescue services.
“We are not seeing fires of that scale in the UK today, but the science tells us we should expect larger, more frequent and more complex wildfires in the future. That’s why we need continued investment in specialist wildfire capabilities, including aerial firefighting support, so we’re prepared for the risks ahead.
“But prevention remains our strongest defence. Most wildfires are avoidable, and we’re asking everyone to take extra care during the hot weather to help keep their communities safe.”
Fire chiefs said many wildfires are caused by everyday human activity, adding that “disposing of cigarettes safely, avoiding the use of disposable barbecues in open spaces and taking litter home can significantly reduce the risk of fires starting”. This month has been 3C above average across the UK, provisional Met Office data shows.
This means July 2026 could be among the hottest three or four months of July on record.
