Skip to content
Large wildfires already plaguing UK ahead of warnings of summer heatwave
Large wildfires have already begun spreading across the UK adding to concerns they rip through the country during a heatwave over the summer.
Firefighters in Scotland have only just got under control a large wildfire in Cannich, near Inverness that burned an estimated 1,500 hectares over several days.
Nine fire crews were assembled along with a helicopter to tackle the blaze.
Two firefighters were injured by the flames earlier in the week but have since been released from hospital.
The fire was so large it was captured by a Nasa satellite, with images showing huge plumes of smoke coming from the Scottish highlands.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service: “As the warm and dry weather continues, so too does the risk of wildfire.
“The ongoing incident at Cannich shows just how large these fires can become.”
Firefighters have also been mobilised in Yorkshire recently as two different wildfires near Sheffield and Leeds were reported.
On Tuesday firefighters we dispatched to a blaze at Lady Cannings Plantation on the moors outside of Sheffield.
It took most of the night to get the fire under control, with many residents on the western side of the city sharing images of the blaze.
More than 40 firefighters were sent to a fire on Marsden Moor last week, with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service saying it was the seventh wildfire they have tackled in the area this year already.
Just three days separated the most recent Marsden Moor wildfire and the previous one.
Over the past few weeks, the UK has experienced its first bought of warm weather, but with temperatures topping out at around 25C wildfires could be even more dangerous during the height of summer in a few months.
A report published on Thursday said the UK was not prepared for extreme weather events, like the heatwave experienced last summer.
Last summer the UK saw temperatures rise above 40C for the first time with wildfires destroying properties on a scale never seen before.
The report from the London School of Economics found that the heatwaves last July stretched services to their limits and any further periods of heat would have impaired their ability to respond to emergencies.
Read more: New Met Office heatwave alert system: Colour warnings explained
They pointed out that since then emergency response budgets have effectively shrunk due to the growth in inflation.
This could be problematic with early predictions of this summer showing heatwaves are likely.
Ellie Murtagh, UK climate adaptation lead at the British Red Cross, who was involved with the research, said: “Last summer saw record-breaking temperatures impacting communities across the UK, as well as droughts and wildfires affecting many areas.”
She added: “We need to be ready for future heatwaves, and this means advanced planning, preparation and early action with a joined-up approach across voluntary and community sector organisations, local government and communities.”
Experts have warned this year’s El Niño ocean cycle could trigger a global warming surge.
The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a recurring climate pattern involving changes in temperature in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean – with waters warming by up to 3C.
This shift in temperature has a knock-on effect on global weather patterns, with campaigners warning that this summer’s cycle could lead to “unimaginable heat”.
Professor Adam Scaife from the Met Office warns that El Niño events are “going to get stronger” as they compound the effects of climate change itself.
