Record heat sparks thousands of wildfires across England

• England's fire services battled almost 27,000 grassland, woodland and crop fires during the UK's warmest spring and summer on record in 2025.
• This included 12,454 fires between March and May, a more than fourfold increase from 2024, and 14,448 from June to August.
• The unprecedented conditions, including the warmest spring and summer on record and the driest spring in over 100 years, were cited as the cause for the surge in incidents.
• Fire chiefs reported that the escalating frequency and intensity of wildfires placed a significant strain on resources, though they commended their crews for exceptional bravery.
• The figures, based on data from 35 of 43 mainland fire services, likely underestimate the true scale, with some services recording their highest spring totals since comparable data began.

IN FULL

Fire crew dealt with almost 27,000 wildfires this year amid summer heatwaves