The House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is warning that summer 2026 exposed severe weaknesses in the UK’s preparedness and response to wildfires – the MPs are calling on the government to act now before Spring 2027.

The Government has declared severe drought in parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex. The South East and South West have experienced their driest April to September in over a century, impacting reservoir levels in that area.

After a record-breaking summer of devastating wildfires across Britain, the cross-party House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee will tomorrow question the government on its lack of firefighting aircraft, a joined-up strategy and prevention techniques.            

An Amber Extreme Heat warning has been issued by the Met Office with temperatures likely to peak around 37°C in places.

Widespread wildfires, record-low river flows and the mounting impacts of successive heatwaves on the environment have triggered the declaration of drought status in North Wales and the Upper Severn, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) confirmed yesterday.

The National Drought Group is stepping up its response after the third heatwave as parts of southern, central, and eastern England move closer to drought status.

As the UK enters its third heatwave of the year with a prolonged spell of hot and dry weather, the Met Office is warning that a long-lasting UK marine heatwave is likely to reach extreme levels this week.

As a record-breaking heatwave hits parts of the UK this week, Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee Toby Perkins MP has pushed the government on what it is doing to tackle the “silent killer” of extreme heat.

The Met Office has issued an Amber extreme heat warning for much of southern England and southeastern Wales, with impacts to people and infrastructure possible at the start of next week and water safety a particular concern.

New research by Thames Water reveals that while the UK has experienced drought, the hottest summer on record in 2025, and record-breaking temperatures last month it has not led to reduced water use.