Firefighters in England were called out to nearly 25,000 wildfires in June, July and August, almost four times the number that occurred in summer 2021 and the highest for this period in at least a decade, figures show. Some forces tackled more than 50 wildfires a day at the peak of the heatwaves.
It was a summer that also saw droughts declared in many areas and temperatures reach a record-breaking 40C. Fire chiefs said the figures showed how staff were “increasingly being challenged by new extremes of weather as our climate changes”, while praising the dedication and bravery of officers in tackling unprecedented conditions.
At least 24,316 wildfires were recorded by fire services in England from June to August, according to data obtained by the PA news agency through freedom of information requests. This was almost four times the 6,213 wildfires in the equivalent period in 2021, and around two and a half times the 9,369 for June-August 2020.
More than 800 wildfires were recorded on July 19, the day temperatures rose above 40C in the UK for the first time to peak at 40.3C at Coningsby in Lincolnshire. There were further spikes in wildfires in August, with more than 600 recorded each day from August 11 to 14 as temperatures reached the mid-30s.
Overall there were more than 10,000 wildfire incidents across England in both July and August. The true figure is likely to be higher, as five of the 44 fire services in England did not supply data, while two services – Essex and Northumberland – had only partial data for August.
A sequence of heatwaves led to England experiencing the driest July since 1935 and the joint warmest summer on record. The parched environment saw a surge in wildfires, particularly on July 19 and 20, when major blazes were reported in places such as Clayton and Barnsley in South Yorkshire, Ashmanhaugh in Norfolk, Hankley Common in Surrey and the Dartford Marshes in Kent.
One of the most devastating fires hit Wennington in east London on July 19, destroying two rows of terrace houses, four other homes, outbuildings, garages, stables and cars and affected 40 hectares of grassland. Another spell of blistering heat in mid-August resulted in wildfires in locations as far apart as Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Dorset, Essex and Devon.
The run of heatwaves, along with above-average temperatures in every month except December, means 2022 will be the UK’s warmest year on record, the Met Office said earlier this week. In London, firefighters tackled 2,639 wildfires from June to August, nearly five times the number for summer 2021 and almost twice the figure for 2020, including 70 on August 12 and 79 on August 13.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Firefighters across London worked in very difficult conditions to protect Londoners during the intense heatwave this summer and their heroic actions meant no lives were lost. The grass fires are an example of how we are increasingly being challenged by new extremes of weather as our climate changes.
"We must adapt to this change and are constantly looking at developing our equipment and procedures to meet all the new challenges that we face.” Other fire services that saw high spikes in daily wildfires included West Yorkshire, which recorded 68 on July 18 and 65 on July 19; Tyne & Wear, with 57 on August 11; and South Yorkshire with 55 on July 20.
Cleveland recorded 1,134 wildfires this summer, more than six times the number in both 2020 and 2021. Robin Turnbull, area manager for prevention, protection and engagement, said record-breaking temperatures “significantly increased the chance of fires starting and spreading, particularly in grassed and woodland areas”.
He added: “As a result, these had the potential to be incredibly dangerous, causing huge disruption to local communities. Those fires that were set deliberately also took up the precious time of firefighters and control room staff who may have been needed for other serious incidents. Our crews and officers worked extremely hard in challenging condition."
Separate data published by the Home Office showed the number of summer fires recorded as grassland, woodland and crops by all fire services in England in each year from 2010 to 2019 peaked at just under 22,000 in 2018 – meaning the total for 2022 was likely to be the highest in more than a decade.
In Kent, two simultaneous wildfires on July 19 resulted in more than 150 firefighters being deployed, with 944 wildfires recorded across the summer – more than seven times the number registered in 2021.
Leanne McMahon, fire service area manager, said: “While some grass fires are not preventable, we want everyone to consider their actions and play a part in reducing the chance of grass fires taking hold in the first place, to protect people, property and nature.”
Hampshire also recorded a sharp jump in incidents this summer, with 958 wildfires – five times the number for 2021 and nearly double the figure from 2020. Area manager Jason Avery said the summer was “an exceptionally busy time for all of our teams”, adding: “We are immensely proud of the commitment, dedication and professionalism they showed, and the part they played in protecting our communities.
“Despite a very high number of challenging and demanding incidents, we were able to respond to every incident we were called to.”
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