Britain could face a summer of drought, wildfires and shortages of homegrown food as hot, dry weather persists across the country, experts have warned.
Temperatures are expected it hit the high 20s this weekend, with warm, sunny weather expected to continue across most of the country next week.
It follows the driest spring in over 130 years in the UK, meaning the country is already entering the summer with low water levels in rivers and reservoirs.
Lindley reservoir near Otley in the West Yorkshire with low water levels (Photo: Richard McCarthy/PA)On Thursday Yorkshire joined the North West of England to become the second part of the UK to enter official drought status.
Here’s how the country is likely to be impacted by the ongoing dry weather:
Drought“It is very concerning that we’ve got two regions now in drought status,” said Dr Hannah Cloke, professor of hydrology at the University of Reading.
Three other regions – the North East, East of England and the West Midlands – are in “prolonged dry weather” status, meaning a declaration of drought could come soon.
It is up to the Environment Agency (EA) to decide whether an area is in drought. There is no single definition, but instead the regulator monitors a number of factors, including rainfall, river flows, groundwater levels and reservoir storage.
Hosepipes bans could soon be declared if these regions do not experience significant rainfall in the coming weeks, Professor Cloke said.
Hosepipe bans are increasingly likely in parts of the country (Photo: Hugh R Hastings/Getty)She added Britons should already be taking “simple” precautions, such as shortening showers and watering plants with watering cans.
Experts are also warning about the risk to wildlife as areas experience exceptionally low river levels; low oxygen levels can lead to fish kills and toxic algal blooms. The EA said it has moved over 500 native, white-clawed crayfish to a safer location due to concerns over water levels in Yorkshire.
Professor Cloke said the drought also increases the risk of flash flooding if we get the “wrong type” of rainfall, meaning sudden heavy downpours from thunderstorms.
“The land can’t soak it up so then it doesn’t refill those groundwater stores or those rivers, it just sweeps downstream,” she said.
Food shortagesFarmers are struggling after an exceptionally dry few months, impacting crops planted in the spring such as wheat, barley, and potatoes.
“The drought’s leading to very small, stunted plants,” said Tim George, soil scientist at the James Hutton Institute. “It has this impact potentially on yield later on in the season, because the plants just don’t get established early. Even if we get loads of rain, it’s probably a bit too late.”
While George said supermarkets will probably be able to make up for any shortages by importing food from elsewhere, he said the drought is likely to impact the availability of some homegrown produce in the autumn.
“Supply and demand will lead to higher prices for those commodities later in the season,” he added.
While farmers struggle to produce potatoes and grains, the warm, dry spring has also seen an abundance of crops like strawberries and asparagus which “arrived early and in large volumes”, said Kathryn Reynolds, senior resilience manager at the Institute of Grocery Distribution.
“Which is great for shoppers but challenging for growers and supply chains,” she said.
“Accelerated crop development is testing the agility of UK food systems, with unexpected surpluses putting pressure on storage, labour and logistics.
Reynolds said shortages of crops like potatoes are not currently expected. While the drought could contribute to rising food prices, she said the main drivers of this remain labour, energy, and regulatory costs.
WildfiresHot, dry weather also increases the likelihood of wildfires. The area of the UK burnt by wildfires this year is already higher than the total for any other year in the past decade, according to satellite data.
Wildfires are most common in the UK in early spring, when dead vegetation on the ground from winter can dry out quickly.
However, experts warn the continued dry weather could lead to more summer wildfires, like the one that ripped through the outskirts of east London in 2022.
Burnt fields and houses destroyed following a major fire in Wennington, Greater London (Photo: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty)“I am concerned about droughts, as they dry out both live and dead vegetation, significantly increasing the risk of wildfires,” said Guillermo Rein, professor of fire science at Imperial College London.
“We have already seen in Yorkshire unusually large moorland fires this spring, and the continued lack of rainfall could lead to more wildfires over the summer months.”
Professor Rein said the public should be careful around “any potential ignition source, such as barbecues, bonfires, off-road vehicles, or discarded cigarettes, and report any signs of fire immediately”.
Hence then, the article about how drought food shortages and wildfires could plague this summer was published today ( ) and is available on inews ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( How drought, food shortages and wildfires could plague this summer )
Also on site :
- Iran war live: Trump claims US Navy blockade stops Iranian ships in Hormuz
- ServiceNow CFO says leaders working 14 hours and getting 4 hours of sleep set a ‘terrible example’ for their employees
- Brad Caleb Kane Teases ‘It: Welcome to Derry’ Is “Bigger” In Season 2 With “A Different Kind Of Pennywise”