Fire service in Midlands saw dramatic six-fold increase in call-outs as wildfires raged in early 2025
A fire service in the Midlands saw a six-fold increase in grassland, woodland and crop fires during the UK's warmest spring and summer on record, new research shows.
Some services in the UK dealt with their highest number of incidents for the spring period since comparable data began, as prolonged dry weather led to a drought being declared in several parts of the country including the West Midlands.
There were 27,000 incidents on grass, woods and crops over the spring and summer, according to new figures.
Fire chiefs said the increased frequency and intensity of wildfires was putting a strain on resources, but praised the way their crews showed "exceptional bravery and professionalism in challenging conditions".
At least 12,454 grassland, woodland or crop fires were recorded by fire services in England in the three months from March to May 2025, according to figures obtained through Freedom of Information requests.
This is more than four times the 2,621 incidents logged by these services in the same period in 2024 and is the highest spring total for more than a decade.
A further 14,448 of these types of fires were recorded in June to August, one of the highest summer totals in recent years, though not as many as in 2022 (20,858) when a spell of very hot weather pushed temperatures in the UK above 40C for the first time.
This year didn't see quite such intense heat, with a peak of 35.8C measured on July 1 in Faversham. But both spring and summer 2025 were the UK's warmest on record, based on Met Office mean temperature data, as persistent high-pressure weather systems brought prolonged spells of sunshine to the country, including a run of four heatwaves from mid-June to mid-August.
