Nearly three-quarters of Britain officially in drought amid record weather conditions

Four more areas in England are officially now in drought status, the Environment Agency has confirmed.

This means 71.3 per cent of the country is now in a “flash drought” due to a prolonged period of low rainfall and high temperatures.

The East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Kent and East Sussex, and Solent and the South Downs are the latest areas to now officially be in a drought.

The announcement came after a meeting of the National Drought Group, which consists of officials, water companies and farming leaders.

It warned all regions of the country are finding there is water scarcity, impacting agriculture, public water supplies and the environment.

The Environment Agency announced last week that half of England was now in a flash drought, a phenomenon that develops due to low rainfall combined with high temperatures.

Its latest announcement means this has increased to almost three-quarters of England in drought.

The North East and Yorkshire are currently on “prolonged dry weather” status, which is the stage before drought.

There is nowhere in England which has “normal” status, the Environment Agency warned.

The announcement comes as parts of the UK are bracing for a fifth heatwave of 2026, with temperatures expected to reach the mid 30Cs later on in the week.

Current forecasts show some areas are expected to reach 36C on Thursday.

This summer has brought extreme heat and prolonged dry conditions, including two record-breaking heatwaves in May and June that were linked to more than 2,800 deaths.

Further heatwaves followed last month.

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England recorded its driest July since records began in 1836, with some areas receiving no rainfall at all during the month.

Due to the hot weather, amber heat health alerts have been issued across most of England.

Officials are urging people to take basic precautions, including drinking plenty of water, checking on vulnerable relatives and friends and avoiding the sun during the hottest part of the day.

Around 45 million people are currently living in drought-affected areas, while 27 million households are subject to hosepipe bans as rivers and reservoirs run low.

Farmers have warned of a “brutal harvest” this year, along with shortages of feed for livestock.

There are also warnings food prices could rise sharply later in the year, as the impact of the unusually hot weather across Europe filters through from farms to supermarkets.

Major wildfires have broken out in several parts of the UK, including the Pennines, the Cairngorms in Scotland, Llanwonno in South Wales’ Rhondda Valleys, and Dunwich Heath in Suffolk.

More than 120 firefighters were tackling a blaze on Monday, covering a square kilometre of heathland in the New Forest, Hampshire, which also forced the closure of the A31 following a separate vehicle fire.

Downing Street has defended the Government’s handling of the heatwave and wildfires.

It said the Government is focused both on immediate response efforts and long-term resilience, including work with the National Drought Group and investment in infrastructure such as new reservoirs.

Tony Grayling, the Environment Agency’s strategic drought lead and chairman of the National Drought Group, said: “Drought conditions are worsening and will continue to do so until we see significant and sustained rainfall.

“We know the hot and dry weather is taking a real toll on farming and there will be long-lasting impacts on our environment.”

Grayling added: “We want everyone to stay safe and hydrated over the summer, but we need everyone’s help in using a little less water to make sure our current water reserves last.

“Every drop we can save is a drop more for your local farmers, local wildlife and local rivers.”

Water minister Emma Hardy, who also attended the National Drought Group meeting, said: “We know how challenging this summer has been, especially for our hard-working farmers who are at the sharp end of climate change and an increasing number of floods and droughts.”

She said the Government was working to make it easier for farmers to build onsite irrigation reservoirs, a measure long called for by farming leaders.

Ms Hardy added ministers were pushing for “long-term change” within the water industry, including reducing leaks and delivering nine new reservoirs.

“As we move through this period of drought, I expect water companies to take every available step to minimise leakage and support customers in using water wisely,” she said.

The Environment Agency said rivers, reservoirs and groundwater levels continue to fall, while rising water temperatures have led to an increase in fish rescues.

It added 245 wildfires have been recorded on protected sites so far this year, with important wetland and peatland habitats drying out.

Just 14 per cent of rivers are currently at normal levels, while more than a fifth (22 per cent) are exceptionally low, including the Avon, Wye, Ely, Ouse and Exe.

Reservoir levels have also fallen to 69 per cent, well below what would typically be expected for this time of year.

The Environment Agency noted this marks the third drought in the past five years, following similar events in 2022 and 2025, with much of mainland Europe also experiencing heatwaves, dry conditions and reduced river flows.