Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has extended its drought declaration to cover the whole of Wales, after the country recorded extremely low rainfall and sustained high temperatures. The move follows an initial drought declaration last week for North Wales and the Upper Severn.
Drought spreads across Wales
Wales received just 8% of its long-term average rainfall for July, and is on course for its driest July since records began 190 years ago, NRW said. Half of England is also officially in drought, despite a wet winter, as a dry spring and successive heatwaves have pressured water resources.
The UK has endured its fourth heatwave of the summer, with temperatures topping 35C. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned that England is on track this year for the highest number of heat-associated deaths since records began.
Wildfires becoming a recurring threat
Fire chiefs say wildfires are becoming a "recurring and growing feature of the risks facing our communities" due to climate change. Data shows July was the busiest month on record, with firefighters responding to 393 wildfires across England and Wales. The number of incidents this year already matches the total annual figures for 2021, 2023, and 2024 combined.
Phil Garrigan, chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council, said: "Wildfires are no longer isolated or seasonal events. They are becoming a recurring and growing feature of the risks facing our communities and emergency services." He called for sustained investment in specialist training, modern equipment, and research to improve prevention and response.
In the latest major wildfire, a large heathland blaze at Dunwich Heath on the Suffolk coast forced evacuations of properties including a holiday park, and closed roads. Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident, with the fire covering about 100 hectares. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said firefighters would have all resources needed, and EDF said the fire was not affecting operations at nearby Sizewell B nuclear power stations.
Record temperatures and heat-related deaths
Temperatures reached 35.2C in Writtle, Essex, on Wednesday, the seventh day of 2026 with a high of 35C or more. Before this year, the record was five such days set in 1976 and matched in 2020. The UKHSA said it is likely 2026 could see the highest number of heat-associated deaths on record, surpassing 2022. Data shows almost double the number of excess deaths caused by heatwaves so far this year than all of last summer.
The UKHSA report estimates 2,877 heat-associated deaths during heatwaves in May and June this year: 753 during the May heatwave and 2,124 during the June heatwave. An earlier separate analysis by Imperial College London, the Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine projected 2,700 excess deaths for the two periods, saying two-fifths were due to extra heat caused by climate change.
Outlook and impacts
While temperatures are cooling and some unsettled weather is expected next week, forecasters do not expect persistent heavy rain to make up for the shortfall. Met Office chief meteorologist Will Lang said: "While there is always the potential for periods of rain during the remainder of the summer, current forecasts do not favour the widespread, sustained rainfall that would be needed to make a significant difference to rainfall deficits that have built up over recent months." He noted a tendency towards drier-than-average conditions in August, with meaningful recovery likely relying on autumn rainfall.
Some 23 million customers are under hosepipe bans, nearly 1,400 businesses have stopped abstracting water, and the dry conditions have hit river flows, wildlife, crops, and livestock. The harvest has come early, with some cereal yields poorer; livestock farmers are using winter feed due to poor grass growth; and farmers with on-farm reservoirs may run out of supply in August in drought areas. Hard-baked earth could also cause issues harvesting potatoes and carrots.
Farmers are calling for measures to make agriculture more resilient to climate change, including easier construction of on-farm reservoirs and flexible abstraction licences. The National Trust, which has had wildfires at several sites including Dunwich Heath, is demanding action to help communities adapt to the changing climate.
National Trust director general Hilary McGrady called for "steps now to protect our health, our heritage and our way of life" but warned against accepting such extremes as the new normal. She said: "Every nation has to tackle the problem at source – and that means leaving fossil fuels in the ground. Andy Burnham and his government must not stall in their response. The UK has responded to enormous challenges over the last century, and with enough will and strong leadership, it can do so again."
