The UK has officially declared a drought in multiple regions after a prolonged period of hot and dry weather, with North Wales and the Upper Severn area covering England and Wales becoming the first parts of the country to reach this status. The affected regions include North Gwynedd, Ynys Mon, South Gwynedd, Dee in Wales, Clwyd, and parts of Upper Severn, which spans mid-Wales and parts of the West Midlands.
Record-breaking heat and dry conditions
The UK has experienced three heatwaves this year in May, June, and July, with temperature records repeatedly broken. This month is on track to be the driest July in almost 190 years, with the country receiving just 3% of its average rainfall for July. In the drought-affected region, that figure drops to 2%, causing ponds and wetlands to dry up and prompting hosepipe bans that currently affect 23 million people nationwide.
Wildfires and crisis response
Wildfires have broken out across the UK, including at Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. In Wales, the government has activated a 'crisis' plan as there are not enough helicopters to tackle the blazes. Firefighters are working to control wildfires in Pentrefelin, Holyhead; Hope Mountain; Pentre Halkyn; Mount Pleasant, Brymbo; and the mountain above Capelulo near Sychnant Pass, according to the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service. Although wildfires are still burning in the north and south of the country, the Welsh government said the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had told it there was 'no aerial support available for anywhere in the UK'.
Ongoing wildfire in Derbyshire
A wildfire in Derbyshire has burned through more than 600 hectares of moorland – the equivalent of 900 football pitches – since it started a month ago at Tintwistle Moor near Glossop. The fire is still not extinguished, and firefighters are working to manage hotspots and keep flare-ups under control.
