Up in smoke – exploring the data behind UK wildfires

After a summer of record temperatures, A&E admissions and time without rainfall, it is perhaps no surprise that the number of wildfires in England and Wales this year has already reached the total recorded for the whole of 2025. This prompted the UK Government to issue a Severe Alert which people received on their phones last Friday (14th August).

A major incident was declared by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue on 13 July as they responded to a fire on moorland near Dove Stone Reservoir on Saddleworth Moor. A separate fire started the following day near Swineshaw Reservoir at Glossop, and the multi-agency team tackling both incidents was only stood down on 3 August, though firefighters remained there to continue monitoring conditions.

Many of us can only look on, see the smoke and try to decide whether or not to close our windows, but many are doing their part by trying to understand the conditions that make wildfires possible, the impacts they can have on people and planet, and what we can do to prevent them.

We will hear from them this evening, helping us all understand what wildfires, and extreme heat, mean for people in the UK and beyond.

If you have experience, research or data on wildfires that you would like to share, get in touch.