UK national parks warn of ‘catastrophic’ risk from wildfires this Easter

Warm and dry conditions this spring have led to more than double the number of wildfires in England and Wales than in the same period in 2022. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty

Britain’s national parks have warned of a “catastrophic” risk from wildfires this Easter after one of the driest early spring seasons on record.

Park rangers from the South Downs to the Highlands said the prolonged warm weather and breezy conditions had left large areas extremely dry despite recent rain.