Government plans for extreme weather 'worst case scenario'

The National Fire Chiefs Council said 1,132 wildfires have now been recorded across England and Wales in 2026 so far – a record high for the amount between January and this time of year.

Fire and rescue chiefs will meet the Government this week to discuss getting better resources to tackle the wildfire epidemic engulfing Britain in flames.

This comes after Andy Burnham convened a Cobra meeting, sent out a special fire alert to the nation’s phones and banned disposable barbecues to try and get a grip of the crisis.

The National Fire Chiefs Council said 1,132 wildfires have now been recorded across England and Wales in 2026 so far – a record high for the amount between January and this time of year.

Phil Garrigan, NFCC chairman, said progress was “encouraging” as firefighters tackle the blazes but added that the country was “not out of this yet”.

“This has undoubtedly been an incredibly tough period for fire and rescue services, but we are beginning to see incident numbers reduce and that is welcome news.

“Conditions remain exceptionally dry in many parts of the country and it only takes one spark to start a serious wildfire.

“We have seen first-hand the devastating consequences these fires can have for communities, wildlife and property.

“The progress we are seeing is encouraging, but continued public support and responsibility will be critical in the days ahead as firefighters and fire control teams continue their work to keep communities safe.”

Rain has finally been forecast for much of the UK this week, although there are fears that this could lead to flooding given the hardened land from extreme heat.

Yorkshire is one of only two areas of England not in drought, however Yorkshire Water has already urged customers to reduce their usage as much as they can.

Even though there is no hosepipes ban in place in the region - unlike much of the rest of the country - the embattled firm has asked people to use watering cans instead of hoses

It comes as reports have indicated that the Government is preparing for a “worst case scenario”, which would see limits on businesses water use.

A No10 spokeswoman did not deny this, saying: Government and water companies plan for a range of scenarios, but our focus is on protecting essential supplies and helping the country through the drought.

“Water companies are responsible for implementing their drought plans.”

Regarding the meetings with fire chiefs, she added: “I understand there are ongoing meetings taking place throughout the week, to continue dealing with the situation as it evolves.”