The number of wildfires in England and Wales has reached record levels, with fire chiefs warning that emergency services are facing a growing risk. The warning comes a day after blazes gutted several homes on the hottest day of the year.

The United Kingdom has not faced the devastating fires that have hit Spain, France and other European countries this year. However, the country is experiencing its fifth heatwave in what is set to be the hottest summer on record, with the number of fires reaching unprecedented levels. Phil Garrigan, chairman of the National Council of Fire Chiefs, told Reuters that the number of fires had already surpassed last year’s total of 1,017. “We have far surpassed the record of 2025,” Garrigan said, without giving an exact figure for the number of fires recorded so far.

"We are only in mid-August and the fire season currently looks set to extend into November. So we expect this to be not just a record year, but a significant increase in the number of fires recorded since those of the past," he added. On Thursday, several homes were destroyed and hundreds of people were evacuated as fires raged across parts of central England.

Britain is on track to record its hottest summer ever. The country has experienced five heatwaves this year, leaving some 45 million people living in drought-hit areas and 27 million facing water restrictions, according to government figures. Temperatures reached 38.1 degrees Celsius in London on Sunday, making it the fifth hottest day ever recorded in the UK, according to the Met Office.

In the central English city of Perth, temperatures reached 38 degrees Celsius, while fires destroyed homes and farmland in some areas. A major motorway was temporarily closed, while rail services were disrupted on Sunday. Officials have yet to confirm whether a train derailment in southern England is linked to the high temperatures.

Garrigan stressed that the situation remains particularly worrying, noting that “there have been 11 major incidents in the last 24 hours.” With high temperatures and drought continuing, British authorities face a fire season that could last for months to come.