Major incident declared after large wildfire breaks out - as UK warned of 'new normal' after drought declared

A major incident has been declared on the Suffolk coast after a large wildfire broke out, with dozens of firefighters deployed.

The blaze broke out at Dunwich Heath, near Leiston, shortly after 5.30pm on Wednesday.

Footage shared on social media by Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service showed an enormous amount of smoke billowing into the sky, creating an almost apocalyptic image around the evening sun.

A major incident has been declared "due to the size and complexity" of the blaze, the service said, as flames spread southwest towards the nearby St James' Church.

Locals have been urged to avoid the area and keep windows and doors closed as around 90 fighters work to bring the fire under control.

Station manager Dan Davis described it as a "large-scale, wind-driven forestry fire".

The fire broke out just hours after Suffolk joined half of England in being declared to be in drought.

The areas are East Anglia, Hertfordshire and the whole of London, Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, the West Midlands, and Wessex – covering Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.

The Environment Agency said high temperatures driven by recent heatwaves and record-low rainfall were to blame.

It's expected that there won't be sufficient rain to reverse the drought's impact until the autumn, likely October, and hosepipe bans are already in place for 23 million customers

UK must be 'prepared for new normal'

Temperatures soared into the mid-30s again on Wednesday, and July is expected to be the driest month on record.

The UK Health Security Agency has issued an amber heat-health alert for the East Midlands, East of England, all of London, and the South East. It remains in place until 9am today, before conditions cool in the coming days.

Check the weather where you are

It was also confirmed on Wednesday that the country experienced its hottest June day ever last month - 38C in Lingwood, Norfolk. The previous high was 35.6C.

Water minister Emma Hardy has said the UK needs to be "prepared for this new normal", as the climate changes and droughts become "increasingly common".

There have now been three in the past five years, following 2022 and 2025.

'Absolutely devastating'

Firefighters in other parts of the UK were also dealing with wildfires on Wednesday evening.

Crews in Scotland were making "significant progress" against a blaze in the Cairngorms that first broke out two weeks ago, and there was a large grass fire to contend with in Romford.

Of the Cairngorms blaze, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service deputy assistant chief officer Michael Humphreys told the Press Association it had been "absolutely devastating" for local wildlife.

He warned the risk of flare-ups remains high.

It comes amid even more devastating wildfires across the Channel in France and Spain. The head of the EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre has warned "all Europe" could be on fire in days if flames are not put out.

(c) Sky News 2026: Major incident declared after large wildfire breaks out - as UK warned of 'new norma