The UK is set to experience its warmest day of the year so far, with temperatures potentially reaching 24C in central England on Friday, as firefighters battle major wildfires across the country.
The UK is set to experience its warmest day of the year so far, with temperatures potentially reaching 24C in central England on Friday. This comes as firefighters tackle major wildfires across the country.
Fire crews have been battling blazes in Scotland and Dorset, including a large grass fire at Gartur Moss in Port of Menteith, Stirling. The blaze stretched half a kilometre and required four fire appliances to bring under control. In Dorset, crews responded to multiple wildfires, including one at Upton Heath near Poole, which spread across over 15 hectares.
Scotland has experienced an increase in wildfires, particularly during dry summers.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service reports a rise in incidents over the past decade.
Climate change is a contributing factor, with warmer temperatures and drought conditions creating ideal conditions for fires to spread.
In 2020, Scotland saw its worst wildfire season on record, with over 1,000 hectares of land affected by wildfires.
The Met Office has warned of a ‘very high to extreme’ risk of wildfire across the country until Monday, urging the public not to light fires outdoors. However, the weather forecast suggests that much of the country will be dry and sunny on Friday, with some parts of central England potentially hitting 24C.
The UK experiences an average of over 2,000 wildfires annually, with most occurring during hot and dry summer months.
According to a study by the University of Oxford, climate change is significantly increasing wildfire risk in the country.
The main causes of wildfires in the UK are human activity, including arson, accidental ignition from BBQs and bonfires, and discarded cigarettes.
The government has implemented measures to mitigate the risk, such as introducing new laws to prevent fly-tipping and increasing funding for firefighting services.
The highest temperature recorded so far this year was 21.3C in Northolt, west London, and Chertsey, Surrey, on March 20. However, temperatures are expected to reach higher levels than these records, making the UK warmer than European holiday hotspots like Marbella and Ibiza.
The UK has experienced a rise in extreme temperatures over the years.
According to Met Office records, 2021 was the hottest year on record, with an average temperature of 9.8°C (49.6°F).
The summer of 2018 saw a heatwave that broke multiple daily temperature records.
The highest recorded temperature in the UK was 40.3°C (104.5°F) on July 19, 2022, in Coningsby, Lincolnshire.
Eastern areas of the country were cooler due to easterly winds over the North Sea. The Met Office said that temperatures have been nearer to what we’d expect in July in some inland and western areas, but a chilly easterly breeze kept many eastern coastal regions much colder. Dan Stroud, a forecaster, warned of an area of cloud and showery outbreaks of rain moving northwards across south-west England and parts of Wales overnight.
Crews have already extinguished wildfires near Bonhill in West Dunbartonshire and another in the Kilpatrick Hills near Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire. Moors Valley country park on the Dorset-Hampshire border will remain closed after being hit by multiple wildfires since Monday.
The public is urged to exercise caution and follow fire safety guidelines until the risk of wildfire is reduced. The Met Office and local authorities will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary.
- theguardian.com | UK set for warmest day of the year after firefighters tackle wildfires
