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EnglandFire services battled nearly 27,000 acres of grassland, woodland and crops fire The UK is experiencing its warmest spring and summer on record, according to new research.
Unprecedented conditions witnessed Some services see record number of incidents In the spring since comparable data began, prolonged dry weather resulted in drought declarations in several areas.
Fire chiefs say wildfires are escalating in frequency and intensity, putting a huge strain on resources.
However, they praised the crew for their “extraordinary courage and professionalism under challenging conditions”.
Numbers obtained press association A Freedom of Information request revealed that fire services in England recorded at least 12,454 grassland, woodland or crop fires between March and May 2025.
That’s more than four times the 2,621 crashes recorded during the same period in 2024 and the highest spring total in more than a decade.
A further 14,448 such fires were recorded between June and August, one of the highest summer totals in recent years, although not as many as in 2022 (20,858), when hot weather pushed Britain above 40C for the first time.
There has been no such hot weather this year, with the peak temperature measured at Faversham on July 1 being 35.8 degrees Celsius.
But the spring and summer of 2025 were both the warmest on record for the UK, according to average temperature data from the Met Office, as persistent high-pressure weather systems brought prolonged periods of sunshine to the UK, including four consecutive heatwaves from mid-June to mid-August.
The spring was also the driest in the UK for more than 100 years, with dry soil, little or no rainfall and above-average temperatures sparking so many wildfires across the country.
There were 12,454 grassland, woodland or crop fires from March to May this year, and 14,448 from June to August, for a total of 26,902. This will underestimate the true scale of the epidemic because press association Complete data were only available from 35 of the 43 mainland fire services in England.
Such fires include fires on moorland and moorland; in fields and hedgerows; and beside roads, rivers and railways.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service recorded 298 such incidents between March and May this year, the highest number for a spring since comparable data began being provided in 2011, followed by 459 such incidents in the summer between June and August, which Chief Fire Officer Andy Cole described as “one of the most challenging wildfires we have ever experienced”.
In August, a fire at Holt Heath, near Bournemouth in Dorset, was declared a major incident and took almost a week to fully extinguish, burning an area of 72 hectares and requiring support from services across the UK.
Mr Cole added: “Our firefighters work around the clock in difficult conditions, often for days at a time, to protect lives, homes and our natural environment.” As wildfires increase in frequency and intensity, “there is a strain on resources such as equipment and finances”.
Dorset and Wiltshire is one of 10 fire services reporting a record number of grass, woodland and crop fires this spring press association analyze.
Others included Tyne & Wear with 1,240 such fires reported, Durham & Darlington (719), Derbyshire (334) and Northumberland (309).
Official data on outdoor fires in England is published by the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government, with 2011 being the first full calendar year for which data is available.
this press association Use a Freedom of Information request to obtain the latest equivalent data up to and including summer 2025.
West Yorkshire Fire Service recorded 1,094 grassland, woodland and crop fires this spring, six times the number in 2024, with a further 1,156 fires burning in the summer.
Mick Rhodes, West Yorkshire wildfire chief, said: “2025 has been one of the driest years on record and we are seeing the real impact of this, with fires burning at Marsden, Richworth and Castle Hill near Huddersfield, and demand surging.
“Moorland fires can last for days, requiring large-scale operational responses and, due to their remoteness and hot weather, exhausting firefighters.
“To combat these threats, we take a proactive approach by educating our communities and emphasizing the importance of safely enjoying our wilderness. We also invest in the latest firefighting technology and have professional wildfire crews specifically trained to respond to these types of fires.”
Kate Saint, head of prevention at Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, said there had been a “significant increase” in the number of wildfires in 2025, with crews “showing exceptional bravery and professionalism in challenging conditions, using specialist training and equipment to respond quickly and limit damage.”
“Preventing these events in the first place is the most effective way to protect lives and landscapes,” she added, because “many wildfires are avoidable and are often started by everyday activities, such as discarded cigarettes, barbecues, or fires that are not put out properly.”
Some 229 grassland, woodland and crop fires were recorded on the Devon and Somerset service this spring, compared with just 46 in 2024 and 443 in the summer.
Wildfire outbreaks in 2025 will not be limited to rural areas or rural remote areas.
In July, a fire broke out in fields near Malbrook, near Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, and dozens of homes were evacuated. In the same month, a grass fire in Dagenham, east London, scorched about 8 hectares of land. At its worst, about 125 firefighters were needed to put out the fire, and dozens of homes were evacuated.
The following month a fire broke out at Wanstead Flats near Ilford, north-east London, burning four hectares of grass.
London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith said police had learned from previous incidents, such as in summer 2022, investing in new equipment and training to help deal with wildfires.
“We know climate change is having an impact on London’s weather, particularly in summer where we regularly see drier and hotter weather,” he added.
“As the wildfire threat continues to increase, it is also important to continue investing to ensure we have the necessary tools to meet future challenges.”
London Fire Brigade recorded 659 grassland, woodland and crop fires in spring 2025, up from 183 last year, with a further 1,235 fires burning in the summer.
The Met Office has said that 2025 is “likely” to be the hottest year on record in the UK, based on average temperatures across the country to December 21.
The exact number will be confirmed in early January 2026.