Full Breakdown
Record July Wildfires Highlight Growing Climate-Driven Risk in England
By Drooid · · How we work
Background & Context
Provisional data show that the summer of 2026 was the UK’s hottest on record, with 40 days of temperatures above 30 °C. Since 2010, annual wildfire totals have usually stayed below 750 incidents, but four of the last nine years have exceeded 950. Scientists attribute the unprecedented heat to the climate crisis driven by fossil-fuel burning.
Core Event
In July 2026 England recorded 624 wildfires, bringing the year-to-date total to 1,354 incidents—making 2026 the second-worst year on record after 2022’s 1,592 fires (the 2022 figure covers a full calendar year, whereas the 2026 data cover January to August). The month’s fires included a blaze that threatened the Sizewell B nuclear power station in Suffolk and destroyed large areas of a protected nature reserve. A separate fire in Gloucestershire killed a 70-year-old man, marking the first wildfire-related death in the 2010-2026 series.
Data & Statistics
- 1,354 wildfires recorded in England so far in 2026.
- 624 of those occurred in July.
- 88 woodland and forest fires, a record number for the year.
- 40 days above 30 °C, surpassing the previous record of 34 days.
- 2022 remains the worst year with 1,592 fires.
Official Statements & Responses
The spokesperson added that a summit with fire-and-rescue partners is being convened to ensure appropriate equipment and resources. Prime Minister Andy Burnham (as reported) convened an emergency Cobra meeting after a fire spread across homes in Stourbridge and issued a temporary ban on the sale of disposable barbecues.