Half of England in drought as fresh heatwave sees temperatures soar to 35C
The fourth heatwave of the year is set to peak on Wednesday
Seven parts of England is now officially in drought as the fourth heatwave of the summer is set to peak at 35C in the south of England.
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Amber heat alerts are in place across the East Midlands, the East, South East and in London which are set to expire on Thursday.
Temperatures are expected to peak as high as 35C across south-east England on Wednesday which follows a record low period for rainfall.
The seven areas of the UK in drought are East Anglia, Hertfordshire, London, Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, the West Midlands, Dorset, Wiltshire, and south Gloucestershire, the Environment Agency said.
It comes after July saw seven per cent of the expected levels of rainfall, with just one per cent across southern England.
Helen Wakeham, director of water at the Environment Agency and chair of the National Drought Group, said: "The hot and dry weather means we are currently using water faster than nature can replenish it."
Earlier on Wednesday, the Met Office warned that wildfires could be exceptionally severe by Wednesday if they start in parts of London, the South East and eastern England, as a result of the hot, dry conditions.
Fire and rescue services in England and Wales have responded to 706 wildfires so far in 2026, with 208 incidents recorded between July 16 and 28 alone, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said.
The NFCC said UK wildfires are typically smaller and different in nature to those seen in southern Europe.
Phil Garrigan, chairman of the NFCC, said: "More than 200 wildfires in just 12 days shows how quickly the risk can escalate when hot, dry conditions take hold.
"The scenes we’re seeing across parts of Europe are a stark reminder of what a changing climate means for fire and rescue services.
"We are not seeing fires of that scale in the UK today, but the science tells us we should expect larger, more frequent and more complex wildfires in the future."
Wales already declared drought in parts of the country last week including in the north and the Upper Severn region, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said.
Thames Water became the latest supplier to announce a hosepipe ban in a move which will affect more than 10 million customers.
The UK's largest water supplier announced that restrictions would come in on July 23, with London, Thames Valley and Home Counties households set to be affected.Thames Water.
WaterAid’s Senior Climate Advocacy Advisor, Julie Henri, said: "When temperatures soar, the value of water becomes impossible to ignore - as our grass turns brown and our rivers and reservoirs run low.
"Yet having too much, or too little water has been the climate reality for many of the world's poorest countries, facing the greatest risks while having the fewest resources to adapt.
"That's why we champion solutions like solar-powered water systems which keep water flowing during drought in Zambia, or rainwater harvesting systems that are critical to water supplies in South Asia.
"Everyone, everywhere needs water, and we urge the new Foreign Secretary to elevate water security as a priority - through his new World Bank position and the UK's upcoming G20 leadership - to keep communities and livelihoods safe."