Drought looming as UK faces month-long
Road melts in North Molton, Devon grateful for the military being part of that as well. We can’t say when it might be extinguished. It could be days, it might even be weeks. This weather obviously isn’t helping at all. What we need is a real downpour and that will do the trick.”
But on Thursday firefighters were faced with a fresh grassland blaze 30 miles away on Winter Hill, near Bolton. A 22-year-old local man is being interviewed by police on suspicion of starting it.
Other grass fires have spread across the North as the unrelenting heatwave continues to take its toll on plants, reservoir levels and wildlife.
A fire suddenly spread across grassland sand dunes at Ainsdale National Nature Reserve on Friday in Southport, Merseyside.
Grass fires at a military training area in Otterburn, Northumberland – caused by sparks from bullets – have been burning since Sunday. The Ministry of Defence confirmed two fires about 10 miles apart but as the area contains possible unexploded ordinance, no attempt is being made to extinguish them. A forest fire near Aberystwyth in West Wales has been burning for four days. Steep and difficult terrain makes it impossible for fire crews to bring in their vehicles so a specialist Heatwave is taking a heavy toll as reservoirs are running low and in danger of drying up like this one, Cantref in the Brecon Beacons National Park in Powys, mid-Wales helicopter team has been called in. Consumers are being urged to use water sparingly in a bid to avoid crippling water shortages. They have been asked to shower for only four minutes, let their lawns turn brown and wait for the heatwave to end before washing cars. Britain’s first hosepipe ban for the year has been imposed in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Water chief executive Sara Venning said: “We need customers’ help to reduce demand. We are asking customers to take heed of the hosepipe ban and stop non-essential water use.”
The Met Office’s long-range outlook until the end of July forecasts “dry and fine weather is likely for most of the time”.
Forecaster Simon Partridge said: “It will be dry, fine and sunny by day and warm at night. Finally we are getting a summer. We’ve had short