The latest provisional England series records 1,354 wildfires from January to August 2026 and 987 in the full calendar year 2025. It counts outdoor fires burning more than 1,000 square metres, so it differs from other wildfire measures. This page brings together official incident records, national fire-service reports and research on burned area, with the period and definition shown alongside each figure.

Key facts and figures

  • 1,354 wildfires in England from January to August 2026 in the new MHCLG series; provisional and likely to be an underestimate.
  • 987 England wildfires in calendar 2025 under the same definition, compared with 248 in 2024 and 1,592 in 2022.
  • 996 wildfires attended in England and Wales by 4 September 2025 in NFCC’s separate operational series; this is a dated snapshot.
  • ~48,000 hectares burned across the UK in 2025, according to research using EFFIS data: the highest annual area in that record since 2006.
  • Almost 12,000 hectares were affected by the Carrbridge and Dava Moor fires in 2025, among Scotland’s largest recorded wildfire events.
  • Human activity, both accidental and deliberate, is a major source of wildfire ignition; human-caused does not mean accidental.
  • 99.5% of fires in the Forestry Commission’s broader England dataset were under one hectare, across 2009/10–2020/21.
  • 230+ wildfires and more than 100 firefighting days were reported for Scotland’s 2025 season by SFRS.

Checked on 15 October 2026, including MHCLG’s release of 8 October. The 2026 England figures cover January–August only, with some recent records still to be submitted. Incident counts, satellite burned area and different wildfire definitions should not be combined.

How many wildfires were there in the UK in 2025?

MHCLG’s new England series records 987 wildfires in 2025, compared with 248 in 2024. Its threshold is more than 1,000 square metres burned. The largest complete-year count in this series is 1,592 in 2022; the 2025 UK burned-area record is a different measure.

NFCC separately reported 996 incidents in England and Wales by 4 September 2025, exceeding its 994 for all of 2022. That announcement describes a particular operational dataset and reporting date, rather than a final, harmonised UK annual total.

Research published in August 2026 reports approximately 48,000 hectares burned across the UK during 2025, using EFFIS satellite data. It identifies 2025 as the highest annual UK burned area in the record starting in 2006. Satellite estimates and fire-service incident counts answer different questions.

What causes most wildfires in the UK?

Natural England describes virtually all English wildfires as started by people. Both accidental and deliberate ignition matter, and this statement does not establish which accounts for most UK incidents.

Discarded cigarettes, campfires and barbecues can ignite dry vegetation. Fire-service prevention advice also includes removing litter and following local restrictions. Dry fuels, weather, terrain and access influence whether an ignition develops into a large fire.

In the 2025 England records in MHCLG table A82, 452 fires were recorded as accidental, 306 deliberate and 229 with motive not known. Unknown cases are shown separately in this release, so the accidental category is not directly comparable with fire tables that group unknown motive with accidental fires.

For related risks around the home, see our BBQ fire statistics and candle fire statistics pages.

What is the largest wildfire ever recorded in the UK?

The Carrbridge and Dava Moor fires in the Scottish Highlands affected almost 12,000 hectares in 2025. SFRS describes the Dava Moor incident as one of the largest wildfires recorded in Scotland. The area and ranking depend on how connected incidents and their boundaries are recorded.

A small number of large incidents can dominate total burned area. In the Forestry Commission’s broader England dataset for 2009/10–2020/21, 99.5% of fires were below one hectare and 53% were no larger than five square metres. Those small fires are excluded by the new MHCLG series’ threshold, so its incident count cannot be treated as a continuation of that older total.

How do England and Scotland compare?

England’s latest annual fire statistics record 6,924 primary outdoor fires and 102,549 secondary fires in the year ending March 2026, within 170,597 fires of all types. Those outdoor categories include incidents that are not wildfires under the definition used in the new dedicated release.

SFRS reported more than 230 wildfires and over 100 firefighting days in Scotland in 2025. Its March 2026 action plan describes the pressure that season placed on crews and communities. Differences in geography, definitions and reporting periods limit direct comparisons with England’s figures.

Key wildfire measures, with their periods and coverage:

MeasureFigureData period / source
Wildfires, England1,354Jan–Aug 2026; provisional MHCLG A82
Wildfires, England987Calendar 2025; MHCLG A82
Wildfires attended, England & Wales996To 4 Sep 2025; NFCC snapshot
UK burned area, satellite-based research~48,000 haCalendar 2025; EFFIS-based study published Aug 2026
Wildfires attended, Scotland230+2025 season; SFRS
Carrbridge / Dava Moor affected areaAlmost 12,000 ha2025 event; Scottish reports
Primary outdoor fires, England6,924Year ending Mar 2026; not all are wildfires
Secondary fires, England102,549Year ending Mar 2026; not all are wildfires

The England A82 figures use the published FIRE A82a table and underlying records. The older Forestry Commission series, NFCC operational counts and satellite area estimates use different methods.

When is UK wildfire season?

In the Forestry Commission’s England analysis for 2009/10–2020/21, April accounted for 31.9% of area burned, followed by July at 22.2%. Those are historical shares of burned area, rather than current shares of incidents.

Wildfire risk can rise during dry spring weather as well as summer heat. The 2026 research describes particularly severe British wildfire activity in early April 2025. Local weather, vegetation and conditions matter more than a fixed calendar start to the season.

The Forestry Commission recorded 362,466 fires and just over 79,000 hectares burned across its twelve-year England study. That broader historical definition includes many tiny fires and should not be compared directly with the new threshold-based incident series or UK-wide satellite totals.

How can wildfires be prevented?

Because virtually all UK wildfires start with a human spark, prevention is overwhelmingly a matter of behaviour rather than firefighting. The measures the fire and rescue services and countryside bodies repeat every record season are simple: do not use disposable barbecues or light campfires on or near open countryside, moorland or heath, especially in dry conditions; take cigarettes and glass home rather than leaving them; and heed local fire severity warnings and any temporary bans during heatwaves.

For land managers and employers whose sites border open land, the same logic applies at scale — firebreaks, controlled fuel-load management, and staff who understand how a countryside ignition starts and spreads. Early detection matters too: the faster a small grass fire is spotted and reported, the smaller the chance it becomes another Dava Moor. Awareness supports prevention, which is where basic fire safety training earns its place.

Frequently asked questions

How many wildfires were there in the UK in 2025?

There is no single interchangeable UK count. The new MHCLG series records 987 England fires burning more than 1,000 square metres in 2025; NFCC reported 996 England and Wales incidents by 4 September under its operational measure. SFRS reported more than 230 in Scotland over the season.

What causes most wildfires in the UK?

Human activity includes accidental and deliberate ignition. Natural England identifies people as the source of virtually all English wildfire starts. The cause and motive can remain unknown in individual incident records.

What is the largest wildfire ever recorded in the UK?

Carrbridge and Dava Moor affected almost 12,000 hectares in 2025. SFRS describes Dava Moor as one of Scotland’s largest recorded wildfires. Rankings depend on the geographic scope and how separate fires are grouped.

When is UK wildfire season?

Risk can be high in dry spring conditions and during hot, dry summer spells. April accounted for 31.9% of England’s burned area in the historical 2009/10–2020/21 Forestry Commission study; that is not a forecast for every year.

Are UK wildfires getting worse?

EFFIS-based research identifies 2025 as the UK’s highest annual burned area since that record began in 2006. Counts fluctuate: England’s new series records 987 fires in 2025 against 1,592 in 2022. Its 1,354 for January–August 2026 is provisional and incomplete.

Sources & references

All statistics on this page are drawn from the following official and industry sources:

Most wildfires start with a preventable human spark — and awareness is the cheapest defence. Get every employee fire aware in around 90 minutes, RoSPA approved and CPD certified.

Explore the Fire Safety Awareness Training course →
Mark McShane
Mark McShane
Health & Safety Training Specialist, Online CPD Academy

Mark writes about workplace health & safety, fire safety awareness and accredited online training for Fire Safety Awareness Training, part of Online CPD Academy.