UK Wildfires Surge to Record Levels Amid Changing Climate
Wildfires have scorched more land across the UK in the first few months of 2025 than in any full year in over a decade, according to new satellite data. The Global Wildfire Information System (GWIS) reports that more than 29,200 hectares—or 292 square kilometers—have already burned, surpassing the previous record of 28,100 hectares set in 2019.
Early spring is typically wildfire season in the UK, when dead or dormant vegetation from winter dries out quickly and becomes highly flammable. This year, however, an unusually dry and sunny March and early April created perfect conditions for fire to spread—conditions that researchers say are becoming more frequent due to climate change.
Over 80 wildfires, each larger than 30 hectares, have been detected across the UK since January. While the recent return of wet weather has helped ease the immediate threat, the scale of the burns already recorded is historic. From April 2 to 8 alone, more than 18,000 hectares burned—marking the highest weekly total on record.
Major Blazes and Strain on Fire Services
Among the largest fires this year were two major burns in Galloway Forest Park in southwest Scotland and mid-Wales. The Galloway fire consumed around 65 square kilometers, nearly a quarter of all land burned in the UK so far. In Wales, another 50 square kilometers were affected near Aberystwyth. Satellite imagery also picked up burns on the Isle of Arran, the Isle of Bute, the Isle of Skye, and in Northern Ireland’s Mourne Mountains—all occurring in early April.
These early-season fires, mostly grass, heath, and shrubland blazes, have put considerable strain on local fire services. While not all wildfires are devastating in terms of long-term ecological impact, the increasing frequency and severity are concerning. Some vegetation types, like heather, have evolved to withstand periodic fires. But more intense or recurring blazes can hinder their recovery.
Why Fires Are Getting Worse
The causes of most wildfires are human—whether accidental or deliberate—but environmental conditions can greatly amplify their intensity. “We had an exceptionally dry and sunny March,” said Will Lang, Head of Risk and Resilience at the Met Office. “This followed quite a wet autumn and winter, which can increase vegetation growth that later becomes fuel.”
Professor Guillermo Rein, a fire science expert at Imperial College London, explained that early spring is particularly risky. “Vegetation coming out of winter is dry and dormant. It hasn’t yet reabsorbed water into its tissues, making it highly flammable.”
Climate scientists are increasingly warning that these conditions are not anomalies. A Met Office-led study found that extreme fire weather, such as during the UK’s destructive July 2022 wildfires, is now at least six times more likely due to human-driven climate change.
Looking Ahead: A Worrying Summer Forecast?
While the early fire season has been intense, it doesn’t necessarily predict a dangerous summer. But experts remain cautious. “My number one worry is what is going to happen in the summer,” said Prof Rein. “There are fewer wildfires, but they can be much bigger and harder to control—sometimes burning for weeks and even threatening homes.”
Even if summer 2025 doesn’t repeat the scale of spring’s devastation, the long-term trend is clear. Warmer, drier conditions are becoming more common, and the UK must be prepared.
“We are likely to see more fires—and worse fires—in the future,” said Dr. Rory Hadden, senior lecturer in fire investigation at the University of Edinburgh. “We need to adapt our planning, fire response, and land management to meet this new reality.”