Bone-dry Britain is turning into a tinder box as hot-weather forecasts spark warnings for a spate of wildfires.
Freakishly dry skies over the past six weeks show no signs of rain into the start of summer.
The wildfire total this year has already come close to the ten-year record with rising temperatures and dry winds threatening to fan the flames.
The lack of spring rain has created ideal conditions for fires to spread, with parts of Wales and northern Britain already engulfed.
Temperatures could soon hit 26C
MET OFFICE
Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services, said: “Even though there is green vegetation, the ground and surrounding areas are so dry that this would make little difference where fires break out, and with the current weather conditions they are likely to spread quickly.
“The problem is the extreme lack of rainfall we have seen so far during the season, and with no signs of this changing.
“If we get a very hot summer, there is a risk that this will become a serious concern.”
So far this year, almost 30,000 hectares have succumbed to flames, according to the Global Wildfire Information System.
Around 80 fires larger than 30 hectares have been logged on the system since the start of the year.
It comes after an unusually dry March which saw parts of the country receive significantly less rain compared to the monthly average.
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Firefighters contain a wildfire that encroached on nearby homes in the Shiregreen area of Sheffield
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Dry weather is set to continue through the rest of this week and into the start of June prompting summer wildfire warnings.
Dale said: “If we get a raging hot summer, any green vegetation will burn quickly where it is close to dry ground.”
The unusually dry weather has been driven by high pressure wedged over the UK forecast to hold out through the rest of the season.
Temperatures through the coming days are also on the rise, with highs by the end of the week expected in the mid-20Cs.
Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick said: “Temperatures are increasing by a degree or two day by day.
In this aerial view Firefighters contain a wildfire that encroached on nearby homes in the Shiregreen area of Sheffield
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“High pressure creates sinking air, and with this subsidence taking place, things tend to warm, and things tend to dry out.
“We are unlikely to get as hot as last week, but we could see the low-20Cs.”
However, prolonged dry weather will set the scene for potential impacts later in the year, she warned.
She said: “We have to bear in mind that it has been a very dry month, and it has been a very dry season, and there are still wildfires going on particularly across northern areas and there are issues such as low levels of reservoirs.
“So, if you like the warm sunny weather, it is a good thing, but there are environmental impacts that we need to bear in mind, and this could potentially cause issues through the next few weeks.”
