Wildfires erupt across UK as major incident declared and homes evacuat | UK | News
Authorities in north Wales declare a major incident and evacuate residents (Image: Pat O’Neill / SWNS)
Major incidents have been declared in England and Wales as heatwave conditions create an “exceptional” bushfire risk. People were evacuated from their homes in Conwy, north Wales, after a bushfire spread across the mountainside and turned the sky black with smoke.
A major incident was declared early on Sunday; Those living near Mount Conwy were told to flee, while others were told to “keep windows and doors closed”.
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said it was working in “challenging conditions” to control the fire and the effort was “expected to continue for some time”. They added that it was too early to say when citizens could return to their homes.
Bushfire in Glossop has been burning for almost three weeks (Image: Getty Images)
Fire chiefs also announced a major incident in Glossop, Derbyshire, three weeks after a large bushfire broke out.
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said the fire was caused by “dry” ground and affected approximately 260 hectares of moorland and woodland.
As the fire escalated due to hot conditions and strong winds, the intervention took the form of dropping water from helicopters.
The fire and rescue service’s regional manager, Ellie Gillat, said firefighters were still “working to combat the bushfire and protect the surrounding infrastructure and environment”.
“This remains a significant and complex incident requiring a long-term, multi-agency response,” he added.
Natural England’s Fire Severity Index puts much of England at risk of wildfire, with some areas in the south and the Midlands at “exceptional” risk. Fires also broke out in London, Greater Manchester, County Durham, Sussex and Somerset.
Hot, dry weather increases the likelihood of large-scale fires (Image: Jam Press/Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service)
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said emergency services were dealing with 19 active bushfire incidents at the start of the week.
The agency also said Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service and West Midlands Fire Brigade were taking measures to manage exceptionally high demand.
NFCC bushfire deputy chief Dave Swallow said dry, hot and sunny conditions “significantly increase the risk”.
But he also warned that “most wildfires start because something provides the spark.”
“Whether it’s a disposable barbecue left behind, a discarded cigarette, or even a glass bottle left in the sunlight, we all have a role to play in preventing it,” he said.
This comes as the UK enters its second consecutive week of heatwave conditions; The north west, south west, south east East Midlands, West Midlands, east of England and London have all been issued yellow temperature-health warnings by the UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA).
This means the heat is likely to have significant impacts on health and social care services, including an increase in deaths, particularly among those aged over 65 or with underlying health conditions.
The Met Office confirmed that 2026 will be the first year in which temperatures above 35 degrees have been recorded on six separate days, breaking the previous record set in 1976 and 2020 when temperatures exceeded the threshold for five days.
This year was also the first to see temperatures of 35°C or higher in three calendar months, breaking the record for temperatures of 34°C or higher with nine so far this summer.
