The government is preparing for wildfires in the UK similar to those that have torn through France and Spain this summer, a minister has confirmed.
Blazes have wrought destruction in mainland Europe this week, with 220,000 forced out of their homes in south-west France and 116,000 evacuated in Spain.
Around 42,000 hectares have been burnt in southwest France, in one of the largest forest fires since the Second World War. Since the start of the year, about 98,000 hectares have been scorched. Meanwhile, in Spain around 70,000 hectares have burned this year.
Asked whether the UK is preparing for similar events, minister for intergovernmental relations Hamish Falconer told Sky News: “Obviously there are wildfires in Scotland as well, and we’re in touch with the Scottish government about what support the British government can provide.
“But yes, we are preparing, and we know that we need to go further. These are incredibly concerning scenes around Bordeaux and in Spain.
“I think the Spanish government have been pretty clear that they think that the increasing ferocity of the wildfires that they face are a result of man-made climate change, and we do need to take those warnings very seriously indeed.”
It comes as emergency services braced themselves for further wildfires as the Britain’s fourth heatwave of the summer looms.
Temperatures cooled, winds picked up and a smattering of rain fell for many during the weekend, but parts of southern England will yet again meet their heatwave criteria on Wednesday, which could reach highs of 32C or 33C, and more will on Thursday.
A yellow heat alert has been issued from 9am on Tuesday to 9am on Friday for the East and West Midlands, the south-east, south-west and east of England, as well as Yorkshire and the Humber.
Emergency crews have already spent days fighting large wildfires in Wales and Scotland that forced people to evacuate from their homes.
Over the weekend, Scottish first minister John Swinney confirmed that “military assistance in aerial support” had been called in to fight a raging wildfire in the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland as more than 500 firefighters battled the blaze for a 10th day.
At the height of the third heatwave, in mid-July, firefighters were battling 19 significant wildfires simultaneously in England and Wales.
Meanwhile, a Met Office meteorologist said UK heatwave thresholds will need to be adjusted to take into account the warming climate, which has seen temperature records repeatedly broken this year.
A National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) spokesperson said: “With the Met Office warning that a fourth heatwave could develop this week, bringing another period of very hot weather to parts of the UK, fire and rescue services remain on alert and are continuing to prepare for renewed wildfire risk.”
Battling nearly 20 wildfires at once demonstrates “the scale of the challenge posed by the prolonged hot, dry conditions”, they added.
“Most wildfires are preventable and we are asking everyone to play their part in helping to protect our communities, wildlife and natural spaces, while easing the pressure on firefighters who have already faced an exceptionally challenging summer.”
