What is a firewave? UK wildfire risks may last another week

A firewave is when multiple wildfires break out during prolonged extreme heat and dried-out vegetation. At least 19 blazes were active across England and Wales during the UK's third 2026 heatwave, and Sally Nugent's BBC Breakfast coverage echoed NFCC warnings that fire risks may not ease for at least another week without meaningful rain.

July 2026 has turned much of Britain into a tinderbox. Back-to-back heatwaves, strengthening winds and weeks without significant rainfall have pushed wildfire danger to levels scientists and fire chiefs say are unprecedented — a pattern increasingly described as a "firewave."

With the UK recording temperatures above 34C (93.2F) in May, June and July for the first time, the conditions are unlike anything many rural communities have seen. Major incidents were declared in Conwy, north Wales, and Glossop, Derbyshire, while firefighters continued tackling blazes from Hampshire to Somerset.

Key Takeaways

• A firewave describes multiple simultaneous wildfires driven by extreme heat, dry vegetation and little rainfall — not an official Met Office term.
• At least 19 wildfires remained active across England and Wales, with Natural England warning of "very high" or "exceptional" risk across much of both countries.
• Exeter University professor Claire Belcher said ignition risk has "never been so high," with Somerset recording a 100% spark-ignition probability on Wednesday.
• NFCC chair Phil Garrigan told BBC Breakfast there is "no real respite" and no significant rain forecast for at least another week.
• Sky weather producer Joanna Robinson said heatwave conditions may persist until at least the weekend, with temperatures easing only slightly into the mid-to-high twenties.

What is a firewave?

It is not an official forecaster's term, but experts define a firewave as a phenomenon where multiple wildfires occur during weather much like Britain has endured since June: extreme heat, drying vegetation and low to no rainfall.

The term originated from Imperial College London research into the wildfires that broke out during the 40C (104F) weather in July 2022, when more than 100 blazes erupted in London. That study found vapour pressure deficit — a measure of how quickly vegetation dries out — was the single strongest predictor of wildfire risk.

Claire Belcher, an Exeter University professor, said she has never seen the UK so at risk of a fire breaking out during a record-breaking heatwave. Joe McNorton, a scientist at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, told Sky News that combustible vegetation can allow fires to spread quickly through grass, heath and moorland once they start, and that "wildfire risk has a memory."

Why is wildfire risk so high across the UK right now?

The UK's third heatwave of 2026 and a prolonged lack of rainfall have left vegetation critically dry. Hot, dry weather, strengthening winds and lower humidity are accelerating moisture loss and increasing ignition risk.

Belcher explained that a fire prediction system built by a group of universities recorded the likelihood of a fire being ignited by a spark in Somerset at 100% on Wednesday. "If you had an ember from a bonfire or a barbecue or a spark perhaps from agricultural machinery or something, there is an extremely high chance it could start an ignition," she said.

Dry weather alone does not cause wildfires — there must also be an ignition source, such as a spark from a barbecue or a discarded cigarette. But with crops and moorland parched, even a small spark can escalate rapidly.

Mark Humphrey, chair of the National Farmers' Union in Somerset, said farmers were "very on edge" after two weeks of intense heat. Tim Parish, a ranger on Exmoor for 24 years, said fires that once peaked in February and March are now striking during long summer dry spells when most people visit the countryside.

Where are fires burning and who is most at risk?

As of mid-July, around 19 wildfires remained active nationwide, according to NFCC chair Phil Garrigan. Wildfires over the weekend affected Hampshire, Durham, West Sussex, East Sussex, Devon and Somerset, while major incidents were declared in Conwy and Glossop.

In north Wales, evacuations followed the Conwy Mountain blaze before the major incident was brought under control. At Tintwistle Moor near Dovestone Reservoir, around 30 to 40 firefighters continued battling a blaze that began on 24 June and has burned roughly 260 hectares of moorland and woodland.

Natural England's Fire Severity Index classifies most of England and Wales as "very high" risk, with "exceptional" danger in some southern and Midlands pockets. Lower-risk areas include parts of the northeast under high or moderate risk, and the northwest mostly under high risk.

On BBC Breakfast, where Sally Nugent has presented updates on the crisis, Garrigan said firefighters across the UK are under "extreme pressure" with significant daily incidents and no forecast relief. For rural property owners tracking how climate shocks affect land values and insurance, our Wealth Hacks & Passive Income guides explore practical ways to protect assets when extreme weather disrupts income.

When will the risks from blazes during this heatwave end?

Not for at least another week, according to Sky weather producer Joanna Robinson. Parts of England and Wales are expected to remain in heatwave conditions until at least the weekend, with some areas not set to see significant rainfall since a wet spell in mid-June.

Robinson attributed the stagnant pattern to a "marked diffluent block" that splits the jet stream and limits weather movement. By the weekend, peaks may dip into the mid-to-high twenties — still above average. Garrigan told BBC News that without rain, the problem becomes "more and more problematic," while Belcher warned northern temperate landscapes are becoming "much more fire prone."

What should the public do to reduce wildfire risk?

Natural England has urged people to dispose of cigarettes responsibly and avoid disposable barbecues in wild areas amid exceptional fire risk.

Garrigan said there is "no real respite" for crews dealing with significant daily incidents, while farmers like Humphrey are taking extra care with machinery in bone-dry fields.

The UK's 2026 firewave is a stark reminder that wildfire is no longer a distant threat. As Belcher noted, England has not been a typically fire-prone country, but northern temperate landscapes are becoming much more fire prone — and the conditions mirror warnings that human-induced climate change would bring more frequent, intense heatwaves.