Record number of wildfires in England and Wales in first six months of the year, fire chiefs warn

There has been a record number of wildfires in England and Wales in the first six months of 2025, fire chiefs say. This was a 663% increase on the same period in 2024 (104 wildfires) and 33% higher than in 2022 (596), which was then a record year for wildfires. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has highlighted the figures as a major blaze burned across a moorland in North Yorkshire and authorities struggled to contain a fire in Dorset.