More than half of England is now officially in drought, the Environment Agency said, as a summer of low rainfall and repeated heatwaves left rivers depleted, farmland parched and wildfires spreading across parts of the country.

The declaration formalizes what satellite imagery has made visible from space. Photographs released this month show a landscape transformed, with green fields turned brown and reservoirs and rivers running well below their usual levels. The Environment Agency described conditions in some regions as exceptionally serious, placing a large stretch of the country under drought status after months of below-average rainfall.

The dryness has fueled fires. In Suffolk, firefighters worked to contain a wildfire that led to the evacuation of hundreds of holidaymakers, while grass fires broke out in parts of London during periods of high temperatures. Fire services across affected regions urged the public to take care in the countryside as vegetation remained dry enough to ignite easily.

The human toll has also come into sharper focus. Officials estimate that nearly 3,000 people in the United Kingdom died from extreme heat over a two-month period this summer, a figure that nearly doubles the total recorded for the previous year. The deaths were linked to a series of heatwaves that pushed temperatures higher across many recent summers.

Drought and heat are connected but distinct challenges. The lack of rainfall has strained water supplies and agriculture, prompting some water companies to introduce restrictions. The heat has posed a more immediate danger to health, particularly for older people and those with existing medical conditions, who are more vulnerable during prolonged hot spells.

The Environment Agency said it would continue to monitor water resources and coordinate with water companies and farmers as the situation develops. It noted that recovery from drought depends heavily on sustained rainfall over the coming months, and that a return to normal conditions could take time even if wetter weather arrives.

For now, the combination of dry ground, low water levels and elevated fire risk has left large parts of England in a state that officials say requires careful management. The summer's events have raised questions about how the country prepares for extended periods of heat and reduced rainfall, and about the strain such conditions place on both infrastructure and public health.

References

1. 1.Environment Agency — drought declaration, extent, and water-resource monitoring
2. 2.Fire service reports — Suffolk wildfire evacuation and London grass fires
3. 3.Official heat-mortality estimates — nearly 3,000 heat-related deaths over two months