UK records hottest day as wildfires devastate West Midlands homes

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.