Hundreds of wildfires devastated areas across the UK from Snowdownia National Park to Suffolk, after the driest July in England and Wales since records began
Rare wildlife habitats that have been devastated in the UK heatwave could take 25 years to recover, according to conservationists.
Cooler temperatures forecast for many parts of the UK might ease the pressure on firefighters. But the brief respite came after crews responded to hundreds of grassland fires from the Snowdownia National Park to Suffolk, after the driest July in England and Wales since records began.
Campaigners and Government Ministers warned that extreme weather could become the ‘new normal’ due to gobal warming. Stark images showed hundreds of acres of land were destroyed in Sychnant Pass in North Wales last month.
A major incident was declared after the flames on the Conwy Mountain forced the evacuation of 36 homes due to the fast-moving fire on July 12. Dramatic photos now show acres of scorched earth.
Much of the Sychnant Pass is in Snowdonia National Park where swathes of land are a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. North Wales Fire and Rescue Service (NWFRS) said: “We continue to urge the public to stay away from affected areas as we are aware of people travelling to wildfire locations to take aerial photographs and videos.
“Mountain rescue colleagues have reported an increase in visitors to affected areas with the intention of ‘wild camping.’ This is not only dangerous but places an additional strain on resources and can hinder firefighting and emergency access.
“Please avoid using disposable barbecues, ensure cigarettes are fully extinguished, take litter home and never leave glass bottles behind, as these can increase the risk of wildfire.”
England and Wales are set for the driest July since records began. The Met Office described last month as an ‘exceptional combination of extreme heat, abundant sunshine and an almost complete absence of rainfall’.
Provisional statistics showed only 5.6mm of rain fell in England in July – less than half the previous record low of 13.4mm set in 1911. Wales saw only 7.9mm, almost a third of the previous record of 22.6mm also set in 1911. The conditions have left much of England and Wales in drought, with more than 24 million people under official hosepipe bans.
The worst blaze hit Dunwich Heath in Suffolk, which firefighters brought under control. National Trust’s director-general Hilary McGrady described the loss of an important habitat for some of the UK’s rarest species as ‘devastating’. Adam Rowlands, the RSPB’s area manager in Suffolk, told the BBC that the habitats devastated by the ‘utterly sickening’ fire could take up to 25 years to recover.
“The acrid smell, it’s not just smoke, you have a sense that animals have perished in the flames,” he said. The 371-acre blaze on the heath, three miles from the Sizewell B nuclear power plant, began at the nearby RSPB Minsmere wetland reserve at 5.30 p.m. on Wednesday.
A shortage of certain food products may also hit UK supplies if the current drought conditions continue. National Farmers’ Union (NFU) President Tom Bradshaw said wheat and oat yields were “very, very poor” this year and warned livestock farmers have had to use their winter feed rations because they couldn’t grow grass.
Mr Bradshaw said high temperatures and drought conditions have placed all areas of farming under increasing pressure. He said vegetable producers are running low on water, which reduces the amount of food produced in the UK and increases the cost of growing it.
“We can’t change what’s happening at the moment, there is no water in our rivers, but we must use this to take action for the future,” he told the BBC. “We have to recognise that water security is a critical part of our food security and food security is our national security.”
More reservoirs are needed as water collected during winter is instead pumped out into the North Sea. “We can’t change what’s happening at the moment, there is no water in our rivers, but we must use this to take action for the future,” he added.
He suggested farmers should be given tax breaks to build water storage systems to prepare for the years ahead. He warned: “We have taken our food supply for granted for far too long. The climates of those other countries around the world that we currently rely on to produce our food and vegetables are changing as well. It does feel like there is going to be some shortage of food products.”
Drought has been declared across large parts of England and all of Wales as successive heatwaves strained water supplies, with more than 20 million people now under hosepipe bans. Amber heat health alerts have also been issued for large parts of England, including the Midlands, the South-East and the South West, until Wednesday.
The UK Health Security Agency has issued amber heat health alerts for the East Midlands, East of England, London and the south-east up to 9am on Wednesday, August 5. Yellow alerts are also in place for the North West, Yorkshire, West Midlands and the South West for the same period.
