Fire service in Midlands saw dramatic six-fold increase in call-outs as wildfires raged in early 2025

There were 27,000 incidents on grass, woods and crops over the spring and summer, according to new figures.

Fire chiefs said the increased frequency and intensity of wildfires was putting a strain on resources, but praised the way their crews showed "exceptional bravery and professionalism in challenging conditions". 

At least 12,454 grassland, woodland or crop fires were recorded by fire services in England in the three months from March to May 2025, according to figures obtained through Freedom of Information requests. 

This is more than four times the 2,621 incidents logged by these services in the same period in 2024 and is the highest spring total for more than a decade. 

A further 14,448 of these types of fires were recorded in June to August, one of the highest summer totals in recent years, though not as many as in 2022 (20,858) when a spell of very hot weather pushed temperatures in the UK above 40C for the first time. 

This year didn't see quite such intense heat, with a peak of 35.8C measured on July 1 in Faversham. But both spring and summer 2025 were the UK's warmest on record, based on Met Office mean temperature data, as persistent high-pressure weather systems brought prolonged spells of sunshine to the country, including a run of four heatwaves from mid-June to mid-August. 

Spring was also the driest in the UK for more than 100 years and it was the combination of dry soils, little or no rain and above-average heat that sparked so many wildfires across the country. 

The figures of 12,454 grassland, woodland or crop fires in March-May this year and 14,448 in June-August (26,902 in total) will underestimate the true scale of the outbreaks, as the Press Association report obtained full data from only 35 of the 43 mainland fire services in England. 

In the West Midlands, only Staffordshire's fire service provided figures, although both West Midlands and Shropshire fire services dealt with significant outbreaks of fire on open land through the summer.

Fires recorded include those on heathland and moorland; in fields and hedgerows; and by the side of roads, rivers and railways. 

In Staffordshire, 211 wildfires were recorded between June and August, up from 90 on the year before but still below the 2022 figure of 309. 

It also recorded 183 fires between March and May during a dry spring, which was up from just 30 the year before and higher than the 101 recorded in 2022. That is a six-fold increase in a year.

Dorset & Wiltshire was one of 10 fire services that reported a record number of grassland, woodland and crop fires this spring, with 298. Others include Tyne & Wear, which reported 1,240 such fires, Durham & Darlington (719), Derbyshire (334) and Northumberland (309). 

Official figures on outdoor fires in England are published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, with 2011 the first full calendar year for which data is available. 

Many fires are close to homes and in relatively urban areas. Dozens of homes were evacuated in July after a fire in a field near Marlbrook, close to Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, while the same month saw homes evacuated after a grass fire in Dagenham, east London led to roughly eight hectares of land scorched, with around 125 firefighters needed to extinguish the blaze at its height. 

A fire the following month on Wanstead Flats near Ilford in north-east London damaged four hectares of grassland. 

London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith said the force had learned from previous events, such as the summer in 2022, to invest in new equipment and training to help tackle wildfires.

"We know that climate change is having an impact on London's weather, particularly during the summer where we are seeing drier and hotter conditions more often," he added. "As the threat from wildfires continues to increase, it is also important that there is continued investment to ensure we have the necessary tools available to address the challenges that lie ahead."

There were 659 grassland, woodland and crop fires recorded by the London Fire Brigade in spring 2025, up from 183 last year, with a further 1,235 in the summer. 

The Met Office has already said 2025 is "likely" to have been the UK's warmest year since records began, based on the mean average temperature across the country up to December 21. It will confirm the exact figure in early January 2026.

Earlier this month, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service brought together operational staff, land managers, partner agencies and community representatives in a series of “Balanced Room” workshops in an effort to find ways to reduce the risks of wildfires. The service said 65 per cent of wildfires in its region are caused deliberately.