British farmers are facing increased fire risks to both their fields and harvesting machines, following a long spell of hot, dry weather.
Incident reports from fire and rescue services over the weekend show blazes hitting hay bales in Cornwall, while combine harvesters and baler machines caught fire in North Yorkshire and Humberside.
The UK and much of Europe have been seared by heat wave in recent weeks, with extreme weather straining water suppliesand threatening the health of million of vulnerable people. Farmers, already battling the impact of drought and heat on corn and milk production, now face additional fire risks.
Despite British grain farmers enjoying the fastest start to the harvest in 19 years, the dry weather has also increased fire threats as engines overheat and parched fields make the countryside a tinderbox. After more showery weather at the start of this week, warmer conditions will return to much of the UK from Wednesday, according to the Met Office.
“Wildfires are a serious threat to the countryside,” National Farmers Union Vice-President Rachel Hallos wrote in a statement. “We can see how fast these fires can spread, putting both people and animals at risk and destroying valuable crops, grassland and infrastructure.”
The cost of farm fires soared 37% to an estimated £110.3 million in 2023, according to NFU Mutual’s latest data.
Photograph: Agricultural fields expected in Broad Oak, Canterbury, UK, on June 4, 2025. Photo credit: Carl Court/Getty Images
Topics Trends Agribusiness
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