Official drought declared across half of England and all of Wales as July set record
Authorities have declared drought across half of England and the whole of Wales, with July expected to become the driest month on record after several intense heatwaves and hundreds of wildfires.
England’s Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales have formally confirmed drought conditions in the two nations. This is the third such declaration in five years, following four consecutive record-breaking heatwaves since May that have dried out landscapes and put pressure on water supplies.
Rainfall levels in England in July have been extremely low, with the country as a whole receiving only 7% of its long-term monthly average. In southern England, the figure dropped to 1%. The Thames at Reading has recorded its lowest water level ever. Reservoirs are reported to be close to normal because of exceptional winter rainfall, but about 23 million people across England and Wales now face restrictions on using hosepipes.
The Met Office has said climate change could make UK summers up to 6C hotter and 60% drier by 2070 compared with 1990. Oxford climate scientist Dr Chloe Brimicombe described the situation as a compounding of dry weather, with droughts, heatwaves and wildfires following one another. She stressed that adaptation and mitigation are needed urgently and that climate change is no longer a future problem.
Firefighters have dealt with 393 wildfires in England and Wales in July alone, making it the busiest month on record. Hundreds of residents have been evacuated, a sharp increase from the roughly 50 evacuations in 2025, which had previously been the worst year. In Scotland, Cairngorms national park experienced its most severe fires in living memory, and smoke from fires in north Wales’ Rhinogydd mountains was visible from space. North Wales Fire and Rescue Service reported 48 wild, grassland, woodland and crop fires in June, up 47% from a year earlier.
Farmers have been forced to start harvesting early or face losing crops because of water shortages. Riverford Organic Farmers in Devon said this season is among the hottest and driest in four decades. The farm’s supply chain director, Luke King, explained that all but one of its reservoirs have dried up much earlier than expected. Irrigation is no longer sufficient, and difficult choices must be made about which crops to water first.
The dry weather has also revealed archaeological features, including Roman-era buildings at Caerhun fort in Conwy and an ornate 17th-century garden at Chatsworth House. In London, parks remain parched, and the Royal Borough of Greenwich is relying on volunteers to keep trees and plants alive.
