UK records hottest day as wildfires devastate West Midlands homes
The UK's hottest day of the year, 38.1C at Kew Gardens, was followed by wildfires that destroyed homes in Stourbridge and across the West Midlands.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The UK recorded its hottest day of the year on Thursday, with temperatures reaching 38.1C at Kew Gardens in southwest London, the fifth highest temperature ever recorded in the country. The heat, part of the fifth widespread heatwave of the summer, brought devastating wildfires that destroyed homes and forced dozens of residents to evacuate across the West Midlands.
In Stourbridge, a fire that started in a field near a golf course spread to nearby houses within minutes. Around 100 firefighters were deployed to tackle the blaze, which the West Midlands Fire Service described as one of the most significant incidents in its history. A child and three firefighters were among those taken to hospital, and 54 people were treated by paramedics. Residents described flames 10 to 12 feet high that overwhelmed them within seconds.
The fires were not confined to Stourbridge. Multiple blazes broke out across the region, including in Birmingham's Druid's Heath, Stoke-on-Trent, Worcestershire and Warwickshire, where a major incident was declared. The M6 motorway was closed between junctions 5 and 6 because of smoke from nearby wildfires, with delays of up to two hours.
The extreme heat came after a summer of records. England and Wales experienced their driest July since records began in 1836, with some areas recording no measurable rainfall. Nearly three quarters of England and all of Wales are now officially in drought, with 45 million people living in drought affected areas and 27 million subject to hosepipe bans. The UK has also broken the record for the most days above 30 degrees in a year, with 35 such days so far, beating the previous record of 34 set in 1995.
The heat and dry conditions have put enormous pressure on emergency services. The National Fire Chiefs Council warned that there have been more wildfires this year than in 2021, 2023 and 2024 combined. The Royal College of Nursing said staff were working in inhumane conditions in hospitals and care homes, with one nurse collapsing from dehydration. Water supplies have also been affected, with 10,000 homes in Ilford, East London, losing water for five days after pipes burst.
The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, chaired an emergency Cobra meeting to discuss the response to the extreme heat, and has called on people not to use disposable barbecues in the open air. He described the scenes in the West Midlands as awful, saying his thoughts were with everyone affected, particularly those who had been injured or forced from their homes.
The impacts extend beyond the UK. Across Europe, wildfires have ravaged Greece, Spain, France and Italy. In Greece, two firefighting helicopters collided while battling a blaze west of Athens, killing a Danish pilot and a Greek fire officer. A British pilot survived. In France, a wildfire near Bordeaux, which scorched an area four times the size of Paris, has been brought under control, though pockets are still burning.
Scientists say climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and more intense. Europe is the fastest warming continent on Earth, warming at roughly twice the global average rate. The Met Office says the UK is on course for its hottest summer on record, with only average conditions needed for the rest of August to surpass last year's record.
The drought has exposed the ruins of Nether Hambleton, a village flooded 50 years ago to create Rutland Water, and has left reservoirs at worryingly low levels. The Environment Agency says six reservoirs across the UK are notably low, with five others exceptionally so.
A train derailment near Lewes in East Sussex added to the pressure on emergency services, with around 150 people led to safety after a Southern service left the tracks. At least three carriages overturned, and emergency services worked to reach passengers.
With little rain forecast for the driest areas, the situation is likely to persist. The National Drought Group has extended the official drought designation to 71.3 per cent of England, and there are warnings of food shortages and higher prices as crops fail and livestock struggle. The Met Office says there are signs that more widespread rain could arrive early next week, but it will not be enough to alleviate the drought.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC One | BBC Two | Channel 4 | GB News | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parts of the UK are expected to experience another heatwave next week. | · | |||||||
| Drought conditions are affecting half of England and all of Wales. | · | · | ||||||
| Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated from wildfires in France and Spain. | · | · | ||||||
| The Met Office issued a rare amber extreme heat warning for Thursday, with temperatures up to 38°C. | · | · | ||||||
| A fire in the New Forest, started by a van, spread to protected heathland and led to the closure of the A31. | · | · | · | |||||
| A firefighting plane crashed near Athens, killing two crew members (Danish and Greek) and leaving a British pilot and Greek crew member alive. | · | · | · | |||||
| The Scottish Government requested UK military aerial support for wildfires. | · | · | · | |||||
| The UK recorded its hottest day of the year on 13 August 2026, with a provisional peak of 38.1 degrees Celsius at Kew Gardens, the fifth hottest temperature ever recorded. | · | · | · | |||||
| The UK set or equalled the record for days above 30°C, with 34 or 35 days. | · | · | · | |||||
| Two firefighting helicopters collided midair in Greece while responding to wildfires; the crew of one was located safe, the other is still being searched for. | · | · | · | |||||
| Yellow heat health alerts have been issued across the east of England, London, the south east and west, and the south and west Midlands. | · | · | · | |||||
| 33 days this year exceeded 30 degrees. | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Comprehensive coverage across multiple bulletins, tracking the story from European wildfires to the UK record temperature and the resulting West Midlands fires. Strong focus on climate science, the government's emergency response, including the Cobra meeting, and the National Drought Group's decisions.
- “Firefighters in the West Midlands say they've been tackling one of the most significant incidents in their history”
- “Our green and pleasant land is turning brown, fields scorched by relentless heat and barely any rain.”
Regional perspective with detailed coverage of the West Midlands fires, the impact on local residents and the ongoing firefighting effort. Strong focus on the human cost of the heatwave and the strain on emergency services, with reporter Alison Freeman on the ground in Stourbridge.
- “The images are horrifying. West Midlands Fire Service says there are multiple houses on fire in Stourbridge.”
- “Fire chiefs in the West Midlands say they are under significant pressure, with their resources extremely stretched”
Coverage of the record-breaking heatwave, the New Forest fire, water shortages and the wider impact on farming and wildlife. Includes coverage of a record small boat crossing, linking the heatwave to the migration debate.
- “The UK has broken a 30 year record for the number of days reaching 30 degrees Celsius.”
- “This devastating fire spread quickly last night across tinder-dry heathland in the New Forest National Park.”
Strong coverage of the European wildfires, with James Mates reporting from Bordeaux, alongside the UK heatwave and its impact on farmers, water supplies and the economy. Focus on the human stories behind the statistics, including the return of evacuees to ruined homes.
- “Europe continues to burn and firefighters struggle to contain the flames.”
- “The sweltering summer saw another record equal today for the most days in a single year when temperatures have exceeded 30 degrees Celsius”
Expert analysis of the wildfires and heatwave, with scientist Francesca Di Giuseppe explaining fire behaviour and forecasting. Strong focus on the forecast for the coming days and the record temperatures expected, including the River Wye impact report.
- “Today is set to be the peak of this current hot spell of weather”
- “there are major concerns across Europe that rising temperatures set for the coming days could worsen the wildfires”
Strong climate change framing, with expert interviews on the government's response and the debate over new oil and gas fields. Focus on the political response to the heatwave and the need for adaptation, alongside coverage of the fires and the train derailment.
- “Postcards from the edge, a summer to remember. Britain bakes with 38.1 degrees recorded.”
- “This is not an aberration. It is a trend, an alarming one worsened by what we ourselves do”
Commentary-driven coverage criticising the government's water infrastructure and linking the drought to immigration and population growth. Questions whether the heatwave is being used to advance a political agenda, with a strong focus on reservoirs and hosepipe bans.
- “45 million people now living in the UK in drought”
- “we need reservoirs I think they've committed to about nine reservoirs in ten years But it's way too late”
Panel discussion on the political response to climate change and the decline in public support for net zero. Data-driven analysis of how the heatwave is shifting public opinion, with contributions from multiple panellists on government adaptation.
- “the UK is now in its fifth heatwave of the year and today recorded its hottest day of the year so far”
- “support for net zero has dropped to 45%”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.