Half of England officially declared in Drought after record-low rainfall and heatwaves

Jul 28, 2026

The Environment Agency has officially declared drought conditions across seven regions covering half of England, following record-low rainfall that left July with just 7% of its expected precipitation. This 'flash drought' occurs alongside the UK's fourth summer heatwave, prompting the UK Health Security Agency to issue amber health alerts. Water companies have placed 40% of the population under hosepipe bans, while emergency services battle severe field fires in Cambridgeshire and major wildfires rage across France and Spain.

Field fires in Cambridgeshire

▪Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade and Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service deployed approximately 35 firefighters to contain the field fire near Peakirk.
▪Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service responded to 20 fires within a span of a few hours over the weekend of July 25-26, 2026.
▪A large field fire spread through three arable fields near the village of Peakirk in Cambridgeshire over the weekend of July 25-26, 2026.

Fourth UK heatwave conditions

▪The Met Office verified a new England and UK June daily temperature record of 38C on July 29, 2026.
▪The Met Office recorded a mean UK temperature of 17.5C for July 2026, making it the second-hottest July on record behind July 2006.
▪The United Kingdom is experiencing its fourth heatwave of 2026, with temperatures forecast to peak at 35C in southeastern areas on July 29, 2026.

Drought declaration across England

▪England received only 7 percent of its expected rainfall in July 2026, while southern England received only 1 percent.
▪The seven areas declared in drought are East Anglia, Hertfordshire, London, Thames Valley, Hampshire & the Isle of Wight, Devon & Cornwall, the West Midlands, and Wessex.
▪In England, 78 percent of rivers are flowing at below normal levels, with 17 percent classified as exceptionally low.
▪The Environment Agency officially declared drought conditions in seven areas across central, eastern, and southern England on July 29, 2026.
▪England's reservoir storage levels have fallen to 7.4 percent below the historical average for this time of year.

Hosepipe bans by water companies

▪Greenpeace UK research indicates that water companies in England and Wales waste five times more water through leaky pipes than a nationwide hosepipe ban would save.
▪Approximately 40 percent of the English population is under a hosepipe ban, with seven water companies restricting water usage.
▪The seven water companies enforcing water restrictions are Affinity Water, Anglian Water, Cambridge Water, Southern Water, South East Water, Thames Water, and South West Water.

Amber health alerts issued

▪The UK Health Security Agency issued a yellow heat health alert for the West Midlands, South West, and Yorkshire and the Humber.
▪The UK Health Security Agency issued an amber heat health alert for the East Midlands, East of England, London, and the South East until July 30, 2026.

European wildfire evacuations

▪Wildfires in southwestern France have forced the evacuation of nearly 4,000 people from tourist sites near Bordeaux.
▪Wildfires in Spain have burned more than 10,000 hectares in the eastern province of Castellon, leaving the blaze out of control.