Britain declares drought in half of England's regions

The UK Environment Agency declared a drought in half of England’s regions on Wednesday, citing low rainfall and hot, dry weather.

In a statement, the agency noted that large areas of central, eastern, and southern England are currently experiencing a sudden and rapidly developing drought, driven by reduced rainfall and rising temperatures.

It added that river water levels have dropped, forcing farmers to harvest crops early, while wildfire risks have increased and millions of residents are subject to water-use restrictions.

The agency confirmed it has intensified its operational response, including enhanced monitoring and control of water withdrawals from rivers and groundwater.

Wickham emphasized that a second consecutive summer drought poses a highly serious situation with long-term repercussions for the environment, wildlife, and the economy.

Earlier, on Monday, the UK Health Security Agency raised the health alert level for heat in parts of England to “orange” as temperatures rose between July 28 and 30.

The current drought means England has experienced three drought events in the past five years, in 2022, 2025, and now in 2026.