Despite a few spells of recent rain, March is shaping up to be one of the driest in decades—and the consequences are already catching fire, quite literally. With the UK seeing shockingly low rainfall this month—just 15% of the monthly average in Wales, 18% in England, and 36% in Scotland—the risk of wildfires has surged dramatically. Experts are raising alarm bells as vast swathes of moorland and grassland have become tinder-dry, ripe for ignition with even the smallest spark.
Over the past week, wildfires have erupted across the UK, from the moors of southwest England to the Highlands of Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the rugged hills of Wales.
