Data reveals growing rate of wildfires across England over last three years

The unprecedented conditions saw some services record their highest number of incidents over the spring

Major wildfire spreads across North Yorkshire Moors

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New data has revealed the extent of wildfires across England, with figures compiled from fire services for the spring and summer periods of 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.

The statistics, obtained by the Press Association via Freedom of Information requests, encompass incidents categorised as "grassland, woodland and crops" fires.

While 35 of England's 43 mainland fire services provided comprehensive monthly data, eight either supplied incomplete information, declined to respond, or failed to provide any figures.

This category covers fires that have taken place in any of the following sub-categories: canal/riverbank vegetation; grassland, pasture, grazing; heathland or moorland; hedge; railway trackside vegetation; roadside vegetation; scrub land; stacked/baled crop; standing crop; straw/stubble burning; tree scrub (includes single trees not in garden); woodland/forest – broadleaf/hardwood; and woodland/forest – conifers/softwood.

Where the spring figures are marked with an asterisk (*), these are the highest for that three-month period when compared with both the FoI data for 2022-2025 and the equivalent publicly-available data for 2011-2021, which is published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government.

A wildfire at Upton Heath, Dorset, during the summer (Dorset & Wiltshire Fire Service)

Avon:

Mar-May 2022 161, Mar-May 2023 89, Mar-May 2024 82, Mar-May 2025 270*.

Jun-Aug 2022 294, Jun-Aug 2023 146, Jun-Aug 2024 146, Jun-Aug 2025 411.

Bedfordshire:

Mar-May 2022 95, Mar-May 2023 51, Mar-May 2024 24, Mar-May 2025 139.

Jun-Aug 2022 341, Jun-Aug 2023 108, Jun-Aug 2024 103, Jun-Aug 2025 229.

Berkshire:

Mar-May 2022 95, Mar-May 2023 50, Mar-May 2024 27, Mar-May 2025 105.

Jun-Aug 2022 274, Jun-Aug 2023 67, Jun-Aug 2024 82, Jun-Aug 2025 213.

Buckinghamshire:

Mar-May 2022 85, Mar-May 2023 37, Mar-May 2024 36, Mar-May 2025 127.

Jun-Aug 2022 328, Jun-Aug 2023 106, Jun-Aug 2024 78, Jun-Aug 2025 195.

Cambridgeshire:

Mar-May 2022 106, Mar-May 2023 49, Mar-May 2024 39, Mar-May 2025 88.

Jun-Aug 2022 419, Jun-Aug 2023 121, Jun-Aug 2024 135, Jun-Aug 2025 256.

Cheshire:

Mar-May 2022 159, Mar-May 2023 129, Mar-May 2024 67, Mar-May 2025 245.

Jun-Aug 2022 313, Jun-Aug 2023 127, Jun-Aug 2024 104, Jun-Aug 2025 203.

Cumbria:

Mar-May 2022 76, Mar-May 2023 85, Mar-May 2024 32, Mar-May 2025 221*.

Jun-Aug 2022 96, Jun-Aug 2023 117, Jun-Aug 2024 42, Jun-Aug 2025 60.

Derbyshire:

Mar-May 2022 201, Mar-May 2023 86, Mar-May 2024 65, Mar-May 2025 334*.

Jun-Aug 2022 405, Jun-Aug 2023 170, Jun-Aug 2024 128, Jun-Aug 2025 375.

Devon & Somerset:

Mar-May 2022 164, Mar-May 2023 76, Mar-May 2024 46, Mar-May 2025 229.

Jun-Aug 2022 480, Jun-Aug 2023 177, Jun-Aug 2024 159, Jun-Aug 2025 443.

Dorset & Wiltshire:

Mar-May 2022 151, Mar-May 2023 129, Mar-May 2024 75, Mar-May 2025 298*.

Jun-Aug 2022 513, Jun-Aug 2023 205, Jun-Aug 2024 185, Jun-Aug 2025 459.

Durham & Darlington:

Mar-May 2022 649, Mar-May 2023 235, Mar-May 2024 159, Mar-May 2025 719*.

Jun-Aug 2022 914, Jun-Aug 2023 280, Jun-Aug 2024 256, Jun-Aug 2025 578.

East Sussex:

Mar-May 2022 85, Mar-May 2023 47, Mar-May 2024 31, Mar-May 2025 97.

Jun-Aug 2022 230, Jun-Aug 2023 96, Jun-Aug 2024 93, Jun-Aug 2025 121.

Essex:

Mar-May 2022 169, Mar-May 2023 103, Mar-May 2024 74, Mar-May 2025 254.

Jun-Aug 2022 1,105, Jun-Aug 2023 342, Jun-Aug 2024 343, Jun-Aug 2025 656.

Gloucestershire:

Mar-May 2022 77, Mar-May 2023 33, Mar-May 2024 16, Mar-May 2025 114*.

Jun-Aug 2022 271, Jun-Aug 2023 70, Jun-Aug 2024 69, Jun-Aug 2025 270.

Greater Manchester:

Mar-May 2022 552, Mar-May 2023 329, Mar-May 2024 155, Mar-May 2025 1,173.

Jun-Aug 2022 679, Jun-Aug 2023 399, Jun-Aug 2024 347, Jun-Aug 2025 501.

Hampshire & Isle of Wight:

Mar-May 2022 257, Mar-May 2023 164, Mar-May 2024 109, Mar-May 2025 428.

Jun-Aug 2022 909, Jun-Aug 2023 305, Jun-Aug 2024 264, Jun-Aug 2025 632.

Hereford & Worcester:

Mar-May 2022 131, Mar-May 2023 54, Mar-May 2024 51, Mar-May 2025 183.

Jun-Aug 2022 370, Jun-Aug 2023 109, Jun-Aug 2024 163, Jun-Aug 2025 484.

Humberside:

Mar-May 2022 235, Mar-May 2023 94, Mar-May 2024 53, Mar-May 2025 257.

Jun-Aug 2022 616, Jun-Aug 2023 205, Jun-Aug 2024 222, Jun-Aug 2025 323.

Kent:

Mar-May 2022 264, Mar-May 2023 134, Mar-May 2024 79, Mar-May 2025 386.

Jun-Aug 2022 874, Jun-Aug 2023 313, Jun-Aug 2024 322, Jun-Aug 2025 509.

Lancashire:

Mar-May 2022 188, Mar-May 2023 142, Mar-May 2024 69, Mar-May 2025 416.

Jun-Aug 2022 219, Jun-Aug 2023 181, Jun-Aug 2024 83, Jun-Aug 2025 200.

Leicestershire:

Mar-May 2022 137, Mar-May 2023 57, Mar-May 2024 49, Mar-May 2025 190.

Jun-Aug 2022 420, Jun-Aug 2023 125, Jun-Aug 2024 125, Jun-Aug 2025 285.

Lincolnshire:

Mar-May 2022 71, Mar-May 2023 36, Mar-May 2024 23, Mar-May 2025 112.

Jun-Aug 2022 363, Jun-Aug 2023 109, Jun-Aug 2024 89, Jun-Aug 2025 148.

London:

Mar-May 2022 456, Mar-May 2023 212, Mar-May 2024 183, Mar-May 2025 659.

Jun-Aug 2022 2,006, Jun-Aug 2023 614, Jun-Aug 2024 635, Jun-Aug 2025 1,235.

Merseyside:

Mar-May 2022 532, Mar-May 2023 315, Mar-May 2024 113, Mar-May 2025 730.

Jun-Aug 2022 781, Jun-Aug 2023 338, Jun-Aug 2024 212, Jun-Aug 2025 520.

Norfolk:

Mar-May 2022 128, Mar-May 2023 70, Mar-May 2024 93, Mar-May 2025 213.

Jun-Aug 2022 601, Jun-Aug 2023 188, Jun-Aug 2024 163, Jun-Aug 2025 338.

Northumberland:

Mar-May 2022 216, Mar-May 2023 156, Mar-May 2024 61, Mar-May 2025 309*.

Jun-Aug 2022 392, Jun-Aug 2023 157, Jun-Aug 2024 111, Jun-Aug 2025 218.

Nottinghamshire:

Mar-May 2022 282, Mar-May 2023 98, Mar-May 2024 91, Mar-May 2025 347.

Jun-Aug 2022 749, Jun-Aug 2023 143, Jun-Aug 2024 209, Jun-Aug 2025 499.

A major incident was declared by the fire service over the summer after moorland blaze started in the North York Moors national park (North Yorkshire Fire Service)

Oxfordshire:

Mar-May 2022 71, Mar-May 2023 30, Mar-May 2024 20, Mar-May 2025 104*.

Jun-Aug 2022 217, Jun-Aug 2023 65, Jun-Aug 2024 78, Jun-Aug 2025 164.

South Yorkshire:

Mar-May 2022 702, Mar-May 2023 286, Mar-May 2024 145, Mar-May 2025 776.

Jun-Aug 2022 1,449, Jun-Aug 2023 412, Jun-Aug 2024 411, Jun-Aug 2025 1,080.

Staffordshire:

Mar-May 2022 101, Mar-May 2023 66, Mar-May 2024 30, Mar-May 2025 183.

Jun-Aug 2022 309, Jun-Aug 2023 85, Jun-Aug 2024 90, Jun-Aug 2025 211.

Surrey:

Mar-May 2022 152, Mar-May 2023 83, Mar-May 2024 39, Mar-May 2025 197.

Jun-Aug 2022 412, Jun-Aug 2023 200, Jun-Aug 2024 137, Jun-Aug 2025 277.

Tyne & Wear:

Mar-May 2022 957, Mar-May 2023 286, Mar-May 2024 237, Mar-May 2025 1,240*.

Jun-Aug 2022 1,560, Jun-Aug 2023 507, Jun-Aug 2024 485, Jun-Aug 2025 825.

Warwickshire:

Mar-May 2022 99, Mar-May 2023 47, Mar-May 2024 27, Mar-May 2025 76.

Jun-Aug 2022 301, Jun-Aug 2023 66, Jun-Aug 2024 117, Jun-Aug 2025 213.

West Sussex:

Mar-May 2022 108, Mar-May 2023 42, Mar-May 2024 39, Mar-May 2025 141*.

Jun-Aug 2022 251, Jun-Aug 2023 108, Jun-Aug 2024 105, Jun-Aug 2025 161.

West Yorkshire:

Mar-May 2022 582, Mar-May 2023 337, Mar-May 2024 182, Mar-May 2025 1,094.

Jun-Aug 2022 1,397, Jun-Aug 2023 539, Jun-Aug 2024 497, Jun-Aug 2025 1,156.

Total for 35 forces:

Mar-May 2022 8,494, Mar-May 2023 4,237, Mar-May 2024 2,621, Mar-May 2025 12,454.

Jun-Aug 2022 20,858, Jun-Aug 2023 7,300, Jun-Aug 2024 6,788, Jun-Aug 2025 14,448.

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