Closing summary
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The Met Office says the UK is now on course to record its hottest summer on record for average temperature, with only average conditions needed for the remainder of August to surpass the record, which was set only last year. A new high in records that go back to 1884 is even more likely for England and Wales.
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The battle to contain a large wildfire spreading across the New Forest will go on for several days, experts have said, as wind changes and a desiccated landscape fuel the flames. Smoke billowed above the deserted A31 road, the main tourist route into the New Forest national park where tens of thousands of families are on holiday, late on Tuesday while a helicopter flew above the blaze.
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Firefighters at the scene said they were trying to contain several hotspots across the more than 247 acres of dried heathland as winds swirled over the area. One source at the scene said: “They are really worried that as they dampen down the top, the peat underneath is still alight and spreading the fire. It is too dry, too windy, and it is a real struggle.”
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July was the busiest month on record for wildfires, the National Fire Chiefs Council said on Tuesday. Its services have responded to 966 wildfires this year, including 458 in July alone.
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The Met Office has issued a rare amber warning for extreme heat for London and parts of the South East, East Midlands, East of England, West Midlands and South Yorkshire from 9am to midnight on Thursday as temperatures are to climb to 37C or 38C in some places. Met Office chief forecaster Chris Bulmer said: “While the peak heat will be more short-lived than recent heatwaves, temperatures widely into the mid-30s Celsius on Thursday brings the potential for impacts for some, which is why a Met Office warning has been issued.
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Henrhyd Falls, famously known as the Batman Falls in the Brecon Beacons, has “run dry” for the first time in its history. The waterfall, the highest in South Wales, has become just a trickle due to the drought conditions in the area which has has no significant rainfall in weeks.
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National Highways has said that junctions 21A to 22 of the M25 have been reopened after the carriageways were closed following a fire. “The M25 has reopened in both directions with 40 mph speed restrictions, following instructions from fire crews. Due to the volume of traffic, it may take time for congestion to clear,” National Highways wrote in a brief statement posted on social media.
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Farmers have reported their earliest harvests in 20 years, with reduced yields, while reservoir levels have fallen to 69% – 11.6% lower than expected for this time of year. Paul Tompkins, the deputy president of the National Farmers’ Union, said that with no meaningful rain forecast in the coming weeks, the situation for farmers was increasingly concerning.
Henrhyd Falls, famously known as the Batman Falls in the Brecon Beacons, has “run dry” for the first time in its history.
The waterfall, the highest in South Wales, has become just a trickle due to the drought conditions in the area which has has no significant rainfall in weeks.
‘Real struggle’ to tame New Forest blaze as UK set for hottest summer on record
The battle to contain a large wildfire spreading across the New Forest will go on for several days, experts have said, as wind changes and a desiccated landscape fuel the flames.
Smoke billowed above the deserted A31 road, the main tourist route into the New Forest national park where tens of thousands of families are on holiday, late on Tuesday while a helicopter flew above the blaze. Firefighters at the scene said they were trying to contain several hotspots across the more than 247 acres of dried heathland as winds swirled over the area.
One source at the scene said: “They are really worried that as they dampen down the top, the peat underneath is still alight and spreading the fire. It is too dry, too windy, and it is a real struggle.”
July was the busiest month on record for wildfires, the National Fire Chiefs Council said on Tuesday. Its services have responded to 966 wildfires this year, including 458 in July alone.
Parts of England are bracing for a fifth heatwave of the summer this week as climate breakdown makes extreme heat, drought and wildfires more likely. The Met Office said on Tuesday that the UK was on course for its hottest summer on record by average temperature. On Monday, authorities declared almost three-quarters of England officially in drought.
The Met Office has issued a rare amber warning for extreme heat for London and parts of the South East, East Midlands, East of England, West Midlands and South Yorkshire from 9am to midnight on Thursday as temperatures are to climb to 37C or 38C in some places.
Met Office chief forecaster Chris Bulmer said: “While the peak heat will be more short-lived than recent heatwaves, temperatures widely into the mid-30s Celsius on Thursday brings the potential for impacts for some, which is why a Met Office warning has been issued.
“High pressure is now becoming dominant and temperatures will build day by day. Southerly and south-easterly winds will also tap into the hot conditions over Europe which helps develop this further notable heat in what has been a hot and dry summer so far for many in the south of the UK.”
Julie Henri, senior climate advocacy advisor at WaterAid UK, said: “This summer should be a wake-up call. Forests on fire, reservoirs running low, and now the hottest summer on record, as climate change drives more frequent and severe droughts.
“It’s a powerful reminder that water security is human security: our health, food systems, economies, and livelihoods all depend on it.
“We already have many of the solutions needed to tackle water insecurity, what’s missing is the investment to scale them.
“Around the world, communities living with chronic water stress are pioneering solutions that build resilience to drought, from solar-powered water systems that keep water flowing during dry periods in Zambia to rainwater harvesting systems that help secure supplies across South Asia.
“To withstand the impact of the climate crisis, the new UK government needs to accelerate investment in global climate adaptation and water security, to build a healthier, more resilient future for us all.”
This summer on course to become UK's warmest on record
The Met Office says the UK is now on course to record its hottest summer on record for average temperature, with only average conditions needed for the remainder of August to surpass the record, which was set only last year.
A new high in records that go back to 1884 is even more likely for England and Wales.
Met Office senior scientist Mike Kendon said:
Another record-breaking summer now looks increasingly likely for the UK, following the second-warmest June, and second-warmest July on record and yet another heatwave imminent.
We’ve seen temperatures hit 38C in June, 35C in early and late July, and this threshold is looking to be reached again in the next few days.
These statistics are a clear reminder – if one were needed – of the stark changes that we are seeing in the UK’s climate.
The UK’s record warmest summer on record for average maximum temperatures, set in the iconic summer of 1976, also looks under threat, with the remainder of August needing to be only 0.72C above the 1991-2020 summer average to exceed this, the Met Office said.
The climate crisis, caused by the pollution from fossil fuel burning, makes every heatwave more likely and intense.
The heatwave at the end of June was the most severe ever recorded in Europe and would not have been possible without human-caused global heating.
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PA Media is carrying a new update from Shantha Dickinson, who is the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service deputy chief fire officer, about the blaze near Ringwood in the New Forest.
She said that 1.6 square kilometres had been affected by the blaze and firefighters were expected to remain at the scene for several more days.
She said: “For nearly two days, our firefighters have been tackling a large wildfire in the New Forest.
“Firefighters, supported by colleagues from fire and rescue services across the country, are working tirelessly to prevent the fire from spreading further.
“Alongside the difficult terrain and hot conditions our crews are working in, we have faced a number of additional challenges, including maintaining a sufficient water supply and responding to changing wind directions.”
Here is a picture of Hollow Pond, which feels like an ironic name today. It is – or at least usually is – a boating lake about twenty minutes walk from where I live in east London.
The National Fire Chiefs Council said on Tuesday its services had responded to 966 wildfires this year, just shy of the 1,017 they attended during a record-breaking year in 2025.
In July alone, firefighters attended 458 wildfires, whilst in the first 10 days of August crews have been called out to 185 wildfires, PA Media reports.
Phil Garrigan, chairman of the council, is quoted as saying: “The combination of drought conditions and another heatwave means the risk of fires remains high, and these incidents can place huge demands on firefighters and specialist resources.
“Many wildfires are preventable so we’re asking people to be vigilant and take extra care outdoors while these conditions continue.”
Here are some pictures from today showing parched conditions in parts of England.
Forestry England has issued an update on the situation in the New Forest where firefighters are in the third day of tackling a fire.
PA Media reports the agency said it will work with local groups to support animals impacted by the fire once the incident is over and urged people to continue to avoid affected areas. A spokesperson said:
With diversions and road closures in place, we would like to remind everyone driving through the forest that animals can be close to or on the roads at any time of the day or night. Please drive with care and within the speed limit.
Our team remain on site to assist the emergency services and are continuing to cut additional fire breaks.
We understand how upsetting this incident is and the concern for wildlife. We would like to thank everyone who has kindly offered assistance and support.
When it is safe to do so our team will assess the impact of the fire and work closely with local groups and the community to support wildlife and the wider recovery of the affected area.
National Highways has said that junctions 21A to 22 of the M25 have been reopened after the carriageways were closed following a fire.
“The M25 has reopened in both directions with 40 mph speed restrictions, following instructions from fire crews. Due to the volume of traffic, it may take time for congestion to clear,” National Highways wrote in a brief statement posted on social media.
Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue was called to a fire in Ventura Park, Old Parkbury Lane, Colney Street, in St Albans this morning in response to reports of a fire at a large industrial unit.
Both carriageways of the M25 between junctions 22 and 21A were subsequently closed due to what National Highways described as a risk of a “secondary explosion, along with smoke and debris affecting the carriageway”.
There were no immediate reports of any casualties or injuries, and the extent of the damage remains unclear. It is also unclear how exactly the blaze started.
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We are seeing reports that thousands of homes have been affected by a disruption to water supplies in areas of London and Essex.
Sky News reports that about 10,000 homes are without water or experiencing low pressure in the Chigwell area, with issues first occurring on Saturday evening. A second water main reportedly burst on Chigwell Road in South Woodford on Sunday morning.
In an update this morning, Thames Water apologised to customers whose water supply had been affected, adding that its teams are “working tirelessly” to fix the broken pipes, citing progress with repairs on Chigwell Road and Daisy Road.
It said:
We’re sorry to customers who’s water supply is still affected this morning. Our teams are working tirelessly in extremely difficult circumstances to fix the broken pipes in the area. Unfortunately they are proving to be more difficult to repair than at first thought.
Pipe damage affected properties across E4, E10, E11, E17, E18, IG2, IG4, IG5, IG6, IG7, IG8, IG9, IG10 and RM4, with many experiencing low water pressure or no running water. Thames Water said it will be providing another update by 1pm this afternoon.
The Guardian’s environment editor, Fiona Harvey, has written a useful explainer about the UK public services that are struggling in the extreme weather. You can read it in full here:
There’s only one solution in the end to the drought now declared across most of England and that’s rain, says Hannah Cloke, professor of hydrology at the University of Reading.
“While water companies and regulators have a range of measures available to manage demand, like restrictions and hosepipe bans, these are aimed at slowing the rate at which water resources are depleted,” she said.
“It will not end the drought itself. Meaningful recovery in the months and even years ahead will require sustained rainfall over many weeks or months.” But she warned of potential flash flooding when rain falls on baked ground. She said:
An important consequence of drought is that very dry soils can become less able to absorb rainfall when it does arrive. This can increase surface runoff and can even contribute to localised flash flooding, particularly if rain falls intensely over a short period.
The current situation highlights the need to improve long-term resilience to both drought and flood risk as climate variability increases, and shows one more damaging impact of the burning of fossil fuels.
The climate crisis is increasing both summer heatwaves and winter rainfall in the UK, meaning new reservoirs to store water between seasons should be a priority.
Last year, the government ordered the building of two major reservoirs, the first to be built in England for more than 30 years. However, the reservoirs in East Anglia and Lincolnshire will not be ready until 2036 and 2040 respectively.
Another seven new large reservoirs are planned to be built by 2050, in Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Kent, East Sussex, the West Midlands and two in Somerset. Work is already under way at a further site in Hampshire.
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'Extreme heat' warning issued for parts of England on Thursday
The Met Office has issued an amber heat warning for large parts of England on Thursday, covering areas including London, St Albans, Cambridge, Oxford, Milton Keynes, Peterborough, Leicester, Birmingham, Nottingham, Lincoln and Sheffield. It will be in place from 9am to midnight on Thursday.
The Met Office warned that the “extreme heat” warning will likely cause “adverse” health effects to people vulnerable to extreme heat, adding that there could be delays to travel and that some “heat sensitive systems and equipment may fail”, leading to potential power cuts at some homes and businesses.
“Following a warm night, a spell of very hot weather will affect England on Thursday,” the Met Office said.
“The highest temperatures will be in parts of the east, southeast and the Midlands, where 37 or even 38 celsius could be reached. This may lead to impacts on transport, infrastructure and health.”
The advice is to stay hydrated, keep out of the sun if possible, wear sunscreen if you are outside, avoid any exercise between 11am-3pm when the sun is strongest and close curtains in rooms that face the sun.
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The climate breakdown has been linked to the increasing frequency of wildfires, burning larger areas, across many parts of the world, as my colleagues note in this story.
The so-called “fire wave” under way in the UK is the most widespread the country has ever seen, with the combination of wet winters and prolonged heatwaves exacerbating the risk.
Several wildfires have broken out in the UK over recent weeks amid the hot and dry weather.
These include large blazes at Holme Fen, a peatland nature reserve near Peterborough, Dunwich Heath in Suffolk, Headon Warren on the Isle of Wight, Llanwonno in the Rhondda Valleys, south Wales and the Cairngorms national park in Scotland.
Firefighters work to contain New Forest fire for third day
Firefighters are beginning a third day of tackling a fire in the New Forest in Hampshire. Forestry England says the fire is under control but efforts to contain it could last for several days.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, assisted by neighbouring services, initially scrambled 26 fire engines alongside water carriers to the eastbound A31 after receiving reports that a van had caught fire on Sunday evening.
The fire service said the fire spread from the vehicle to the central reservation before progressing into nearby heathland. In a statement, it said:
Crews have worked tirelessly throughout the night, a change in wind direction provided a challenge to the firefighting operations but thanks to the efforts of firefighters we are managing to contain the fire.
We have been using a mix of fire engines and off-road vehicles to damp down and cool the edges of the area involved in the fire to prevent spread and escalation …
Overnight we had a slightly reduced presence with seven fire engines on site plus water carriers, off road vehicles and support vehicles but are planning to increase this for a larger scale attack today.
The A31 remains closed – and National Highways described “significant” damage to the road surface, road safety barrier and boundary fencing that will require repairs once it is safe to do so.
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Farmers have reported their earliest harvests in 20 years, with reduced yields, while reservoir levels have fallen to 69% – 11.6% lower than expected for this time of year.
Paul Tompkins, the deputy president of the National Farmers’ Union, said that with no meaningful rain forecast in the coming weeks, the situation for farmers was increasingly concerning. He said:
Many farmers have completed the earliest harvest on record, with poor yields in key crops reported in some areas of the country.
Livestock and dairy farmers are already using winter feed because grass has stopped growing, while growers are working hard to keep fruit and vegetables watered, but many are struggling to access the water they need.
The government said it was considering ways to give more support to the farming sector. The water minister, Emma Hardy, said this would include making it easier to build on-farm reservoirs.
The Met Office has shared two images taken from space that reveal the stark contrast in much of the UK’s landscape between 23 May and yesterday. They capture how an exceptionally dry and hot period turned lots of once green land brown.
Heat health alerts now in place across whole of England
Amber heat health alerts are now in effect across all regions of England, aside from the north east, which has been given a yellow alert, up until Friday evening. You can keep up to date with the latest weather health alerts here.
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As we mentioned in the opening post, amber heat health alerts come into force across most of England from 9am today and will last until 9pm on Friday.
As well as a rise in deaths and likely “significant” impacts across health and social care services, here are some of the other risks associated with the amber category, as outlined by the UK Health Security Agency:
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internal temperatures in hospitals and care homes may exceed the recommended threshold for clinical risk assessment
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the heat affecting the ability of the workforce to deliver services
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indoor environments overheating increasing the risk to some vulnerable people
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issues managing medicines
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increased demand for power exceeding capacity
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possible travel delays
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water‑related incidents may increase, including risks from cold‑water shock and drowning
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Amber heat health alerts to kick in across England as parts of UK brace for fifth heatwave
Health alerts are set to come into force across England this morning as parts of the UK brace for fifth climate crisis-driven heatwave this summer.
Amber heat health alerts have been issued for all regions in England, except the north-east, which mean significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures, according to the UK’s Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The alerts stretch from 9am on Tuesday until 9pm on Friday.
The north-east will be under a yellow health alert, which is less intense than the amber category but is still linked to a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions, and a likely increase in demand for health services.
The alerts come a day after four more regions of England were officially declared to be in drought: the East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Kent and East Sussex, and Solent and the South Downs.
They joined seven English regions, alongside the whole of Wales, already under drought status since last month: East Anglia, Hertfordshire and London, Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, the West Midlands, and Wessex (covering Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and south Gloucestershire).
The Environment Agency said 71.3% of England is experiencing “flash drought”, as a dry start to August followed the country’s driest July on record.
On Tuesday, highs of 29C in Cardiff, 28C in Manchester and 25C in London are forecast before temperatures soar to the mid-30s in some areas on Thursday, according to the Met Office, with temperatures possibly exceeding 36C in some places.
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