Coastal heathland in Suffolk, part of the Minsmere-Walberswick Heaths and Marshes
A record summer of heat, drought and wildfires has prompted an emergency Cobra meeting and voluntary retailer suspensions of disposable-barbecue sales. Green groups have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to call the crisis 'climate change' and stop new North Sea drilling; Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has questioned net zero and urged adaptation and celebration of warmer weather.
UK fire services report a continued surge in wildfires amid prolonged heatwaves drought and water restrictions. The Stourbridge blaze has destroyed 19 homes and damaged 18 others while conditions persist across the country with major incidents declared in several regions.
The government has announced a national wildfire resilience push, drafting RAF aircraft to help firefighting efforts, restoring peatlands as natural firebreaks, funding PPE for crews, and launching an AI unit to speed detection and response. The plan follows a record 2026 wildfire season and heat waves across Europe.