Wildfires erupted across Britain over the past week amid the driest start to spring in nearly 70 years. Fires burned through forested areas in Scotland, Wales and England, coinciding with declining river levels and warnings of drought.
In Scotland, a large forest fire near the village of Fauldhouse, west of Edinburgh, broke out late Saturday morning and was still burning on Sunday. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service deployed around 50 firefighters, supported by a helicopter dropping water over the woodland area. Mainland Scotland remains under an “extreme” wildfire risk warning through Monday, with officials urging the public to take precautions.
Residents in nearby areas were advised by the police to keep windows and doors closed as emergency crews worked to contain the blaze.
“Human behavior can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting, so it is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments,” officials said.
In southwest Wales, a wildfire broke out on Friday evening on the Welsh Government Woodland Estate near Maerdy. Though it was brought under control, the blaze reignited in several places on Saturday morning before being extinguished on Sunday.
Last week in England a major wildfire in Dartmoor, Devon, raged across more than 1,200 acres of land before being put out. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said at the peak of the blazes, crews from 13 fire stations were deployed to the area, as well as wildlife support officers and a police helicopter.
Britain is in a record-breaking year for wildfires. According to data from the Global Wildfire Information System, which tracks fires larger than about 30 hectares, more land in Britain had burned by the end of April than in any full year over the past decade.
The risk has been amplified by unusually dry conditions. England has seen its driest start to spring since 1956. The Met Office, Britain’s weather service, reported that April received only 56 percent of its average rainfall, while March saw just 43 percent.
In its April report, the European Union’s Copernicus climate service upgraded Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to drought warning status, following an earlier drought watch. In Ireland, a ban on using water for nonessential outdoor activities, like in gardens, was introduced last Tuesday for six weeks. The restrictions were introduced after prolonged dry weather led to sharp drops in reservoir levels.
While no such bans have been put in place in Britain, England’s Environment Agency has warned of a medium risk of drought this summer if there is not consistent rainfall.
Scotland is already seeing the signs of strain. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency reported falling water levels in rivers across the country, from Dumfries and Galloway in the southwest to Thurso and Black Isle in the far north.
Parts of eastern Scotland have gone nearly three weeks without significant rain. Some rain is expected to reach parts of western Scotland by Monday, but largely dry and sunny weather is forecast for the coming days, offering little relief to firefighters battling the blaze in Fauldhouse, in West Lothian.
Nazaneen Ghaffar is a Times reporter on the Weather team.
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