As of mid-August 2026, the UK is facing one of its most severe wildfire seasons in recent memory, driven by prolonged drought, extreme heat, and dry conditions that have turned large parts of the country into a “tinderbox.” Nearly three-quarters of England and all of Wales are officially in drought. Fire and rescue services have responded to hundreds of incidents this year, matching or exceeding the total for the whole of 2025 in some periods, with July alone recording the bu