Outdoor fires warning after Minsterley wildfire
On Friday the fire service was called to a fire on a railway embankment in Shifnal and undergrowth fires in Telford and Prees Green.
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The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Wildfires in Spain are setting an alarming new record, according to EU data
Spain is battling one of its most destructive fire seasons in decades, with new data showing that wildfire emissions have surged to their highest levels in at least 23 years. The fires have already killed four people, forced thousands to evacuate and burned more than 382,000 hectares – an area larger than Mallorca. According to the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), wildfire carbon emissions in Spain rose almost vertically on monitoring charts during the first two weeks of August, overtaking all previous years in their dataset that goes back to 2003. On the graph, the 2025 red line shoots sharply upwards from early August, far surpassing the steady grey lines of earlier years and the long-term average shown in black. By 18 August, Spain 's wildfire emissions were already well above the previous record highs for a full year. 'The wildfire emissions from Spain and Portugal during August has been exceptional,' said Mark Parrington, Senior Scientist at CAMS. 'The growth in the total estimated emissions from below averages to reach the highest annual total for Spain in the two decades of the CAMS fire emissions dataset in just 7-8 days.' The fires, concentrated in the north-western regions of Galicia, Castilla y León, Asturias and Extremadura, were fuelled by a severe 16-day heatwave, with temperatures topping 44 degrees Celsius in some areas. Spain's weather agency AEMET declared the end of the heatwave on Monday as rain and cooler conditions are forecast for this week. However, the agency warned of continued 'very high or extreme' fire risk across Galicia. Thousands of troops and firefighters, backed by water-bombing aircraft and reinforcements from several European countries, have been deployed to contain the blazes. Air quality has also deteriorated sharply across much of the peninsula. Observations from Spain's monitoring network and CAMS forecasts show levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) soaring well above World Health Organisation guidelines, which set the safe daily mean at 15ug/m3. Thick smoke has spread hundreds of kilometres, with plumes carried over France, the UK and Scandinavia, adding to haze already drifting in from Canadian wildfires across the Atlantic. Prime minister Pedro Sánchez acknowledged the role of global heating in worsening the disaster. 'Science tells us so, and common sense tells us so as well, especially that of farmers and those who live in rural areas, that the climate is changing, that the climate emergency is worsening, that it is becoming more recurrent, more frequent, and each time has a greater impact,' he said. Visiting affected areas, Mr Sánchez said the government would designate emergency zones eligible for reconstruction aid and pledged to propose turning climate emergency policies into permanent state law. Neighbouring Portugal is also experiencing one of its worst wildfire years in two decades, with more than 235,000 hectares burned so far – nearly five times the 2006–2024 average for this period, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). Authorities there have deployed over 3,700 firefighters and declared successive states of emergency since early August. Two people have died, and at least 5,000 firefighters were mobilised at the peak of the crisis. France, meanwhile, saw its most devastating blaze in the Mediterranean region in half a century earlier this month, when 17,000 hectares burned in the Aude department between Carcassonne and Perpignan. Across the continent, more than 439,000 hectares have already gone up in flames this year – double the 19-year average for the same period. Spain has faced devastating wildfires before. In 2022, nearly 310,000 hectares burned during what was then considered the country's worst fire season of the century. But in comparison, this year, by mid-August, the fire-scarred area has risen to between 343,000 and 382,000 hectares, shattering the 2022 record in just eight months. Scientists warn that the climate crisis is stacking the odds towards more frequent and intense fire seasons. Europe has been warming at twice the global rate since the 1980s, with prolonged droughts and record-breaking heatwaves drying out vegetation and creating tinderbox conditions. Many of the fires are believed to be caused by human activity: Spain's Civil Guard has arrested 23 people on suspicion of arson and is investigating nearly 90 more.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Hurricane Erin could batter Britain: Remnants of 160mph storm may hit the UK over Bank Holiday after powering across the Atlantic
Britain faces a 'big change to more unsettled weather' next week as the remnants of Hurricane Erin are set to bring wet and windy conditions at the end of summer. Meteorologists are monitoring how the system could strengthen the jet stream and impact UK weather after the bank holiday weekend as it sweeps across the Atlantic. The Met Office said Erin underwent a 'remarkable and very fast transition' from a tropical storm to a 160mph Category 5 'monster' in 24 hours last weekend. This morning it was a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of about 100mph, located about 500 miles off the Outer Banks islands of North Carolina. The system is forecast to remain out in the ocean, before the remnants could be seen in Britain by late Sunday or early Monday - bringing big waves to coastal areas. Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said it 'does look a little bit more likely that autumn will make an early appearance' at some point next week, with an 'increased likelihood of low pressure, showers, spells of rain and increased wind as well'. Wet conditions in the final week of summer would end a period of dry weather for much of the country, with the UK on track for one of its hottest summers on record. But further warm and settled weather will continue into the bank holiday weekend, with highs of between 22C and 24C every day in London until at least next Tuesday. The Met Office expects high pressure will continue to dominate for the rest of this week, although showers are possible in western areas at the end of the weekend. Mr McGivern said Erin underwent a 'remarkable and very fast transition from a tropical storm to a Category 5 monster in just 24 hours at the start of the weekend.' He said the storm is expected to move north and then curve north-eastwards into the North Atlantic over the next few days and into the weekend. By Sunday it will have technically become an ex-hurricane, and Mr McGivern clarified that 'no hurricane could hit the UK or will hit the UK in the near future'. He said this was 'because the seas surrounding the UK are simply not warm enough -they're some 10 degrees lower than you'd expect to sustain an actual hurricane'. Looking at how Erin will affect the UK's weather, Mr McGivern continued: 'It could bring its remnants to the UK at some point, but it could well stay away. 'However, the more important question is actually how will it strengthen the jet stream and how will that jet stream bring us other lows that are not necessarily Erin? 'Either way, whether or not it hits us as an ex-hurricane, it's still likely to bring us a big change to more unsettled weather for next week.' Reading Festival begin to arrive for early bird camping on a grey and overcast morning today Reading festivalgoers arrive with their camping equipment at the site in Berkshire today He added that there were many variables involved, such as 'how an ex-hurricane is going to interact with a jet stream and how the jet stream is going interact with an ex-hurricane'. Mr McGivern said: 'What looks most likely is that that ex-hurricane fuels the jet stream. The jet stream brings a big change to the UK's weather into next week, brings an increased likelihood of low pressure, showers, spells of rain and increased wind. 'Of course, we need the rain, but it might not be welcome for people who want to enjoy the last week of the summer holidays. It does look a little bit more likely that autumn will make an early appearance.' The summer has been marked by persistent warm temperatures even outside the four heatwaves which have hit the country, with June and July both seeing well above-average conditions. With two weeks to go until the end of the meteorological summer, conditions could still shift. But the season's overall warmth and consistently above-average temperatures mean it could rank among the UK's warmest in records dating back to 1884. Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna said: 'Any remnants of the hurricane aren't expected to have an impact on the UK until early next week, there's uncertainty how it will play out. 'From late on Sunday the uncertainty starts to kick in. There's a risk of some rain developing, a potential that then things will turn increasingly unsettled. 'It's likely becoming more unsettled early to middle part of next week, at this stage we can't be too firm on the details.' Provisional figures from the Met Office show that the UK's average temperature from June 1 to August 17 stands at 16.2C, some 1.6C above the average temperature. In North Carolina, evacuations have been ordered along the barrier islands of the Outer Banks where a storm surge from Erin could swamp roads with waves of 15ft. New York City closed its beaches to swimming today, while several New Jersey beaches also will be temporarily off-limits. Some towns in Delaware have cut off ocean access and Nantucket Island in Massachusetts could see waves of 10ft. Yesterday, Erin lashed the Turks and Caicos Islands, where government services were suspended and residents were ordered to stay home, along with parts of the Bahamas before its expected turn toward Bermuda.
The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
Is this the end of summer? Meteorologists predict that the UK may have one warm weekend left this year
METEOROLOGISTS have warned that the UK might bask in hot weather once more this year before temperatures plunge. The news comes as the US battles with Hurricane Erin which could affect weather in Britain. 3 3 3 The UK has basked in balmy heats several times over the summer, as parts of the country were treated to temperatures of 31C. With the end of the summer in sight, Brits across the country are starting to reach for their coats and scarves but meteorologists say that could be a little premature. The bank holiday weekend will see highs of 24C with sunny weather, with some cloud. The Met Office says that high pressure will 'bring widely fine and dry weather' over the weekend. However, after that, the UK is set to get much colder. Although it can be difficult to predict weather patterns weeks in advance, the Met Office says that the weather could soon worsen. The spokesperson for the weatherwatcher said: 'From early to mid-week, high pressure is likely to become increasingly eroded from the west as areas of low pressure and frontal systems start to move in from the Atlantic, leading to more changeable conditions with spells of rain through the remainder of the week and the following weekend. 'Temperatures likely warm or very warm to start before quickly trending towards average.' Hurricane Erin, which formed over the Atlantic, and is causing chaos in the US could also affect weather in Britain. A spokesperson from the Met Office said: 'We are closely watching Erin's track, with the possibility of the UK feeling the effects of what would then be ex-hurricane Erin at some point next week, bringing an area of low pressure to the UK and more unsettled conditions. Horror moment apocalyptic 'Satan's Storm' hits Spain sparking tornadoes & sending tourists fleeing freak heat burst 'This is still a week away however, so there is lots of uncertainty in the forecast, but it is possible we could see some wet and windy weather for the last week of August. 'We'll be keeping a close eye on the movements of Hurricane Erin over the coming days and updating our forecasts accordingly.' Weather experts across Europe have painted a similar picture, with meteorologists in France warning of storms and officials in Poland telling residents to expect colder weather. Meanwhile, Spain has been battling with horrifying tornadoes following a terrifying freak 40C heat burst. The atmospheric phenomenon is characterised by a sudden, localised increase in air temperature. Resorts in the south of Grenada were hit with tornadoes and waterspouts, with winds reaching a staggering 53mph. An additional 500 Spanish soldiers have been drafted in to support the 1400 already battling the blaze.
