Britain Battles Wildfires Amid Drought Warnings

Wildfires erupted across Britain over the past week amid the driest start to spring in nearly 70 years. Fires burned through forested areas in Scotland, Wales and England, coinciding with declining river levels and warnings of drought.

In Scotland, a large forest fire near the village of Fauldhouse, west of Edinburgh, broke out late Saturday morning and was still burning on Sunday. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Servicedeployed around 50 firefighters, supported by a helicopter dropping water over the woodland area. Mainland Scotland remains under an “extreme” wildfire risk warning through Monday, with officials urging the public to take precautions.

Residents in nearby areas were advised by the police to keep windows and doors closed as emergency crews worked to contain the blaze.

“Human behavior can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting, so it is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments,” officials said.

In southwest Wales, a wildfire broke out on Friday evening on the Welsh Government Woodland Estate near Maerdy. Though it was brought under control, the blaze reignited in several places on Saturday morning before being extinguished on Sunday.

Last week in England a major wildfire in Dartmoor, Devon, raged across more than 1,200 acres of land before being put out. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said at the peak of the blazes, crews from 13 fire stations were deployed to the area, as well as wildlife support officers and a police helicopter.