A major incident has been declared in Norfolk after a wildfire broke out at Dunwich Heath, prompting evacuations of homes and a holiday park. Firefighters spent the night tackling the blaze on the Suffolk coast, with thick smoke turning the sky dark orange.
Fire near nuclear plant
The fire is just four miles from Sizewell B nuclear plant. Suffolk County Council says there is 'no current risk' to the site. The UK has been in the clutches of a fourth heatwave this year, with temperatures exceeding 30°C in parts of the country yesterday.
Drought conditions
Half of England is officially in drought, and 21 counties are under a hosepipe ban affecting 23 million people. Parched grasslands have become common in 2026, prompting widespread wildfire warnings from fire chiefs.
Multiple outbreaks
Firefighters are tackling several outbreaks, including in Cairngorms in Scotland, which has been burning for two weeks. Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service focused on protecting properties including Coastguard Cottages, Mount Pleasant Farm, and Cliff House Holiday Park, and advised people to avoid the area.
Heat-health alert
An amber heat-health alert is in place for the East Midlands, the East, South East, and London. Temperatures are expected to fall to average across much of the country from today.
Deputy Chief Forecaster Mark Sidaway said: 'The forecast is showing potential for more rain than much of the UK has experienced over the last few weeks. However, it looks as though amounts of rain for many will be fairly modest, and won’t balance out the shortfall that we have recorded this summer. It’s still possible that some areas of the south will miss out and see little or no rainfall.'
European wildfires
Areas in France and Spain have been devastated by wildfires raging across Europe. Around 330,000 people were evacuated across the two countries. In Greece, three firefighters were killed tackling two separate infernos – one in Crete and the other in the southern Peloponnese region.
