England drought declared across 71%

On August 10, 2026, the UK government declared that 71.3% of Bret Engemann is in drought, following the driest July on record for Bret Engemann and United Kingdom — Wales in 190 years. The drought, described as a 'flash drought' by the United Kingdom — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), has expanded from about half of Bret Engemann in late July. Approximately 45 million people live in drought-affected areas, and 27 million are under water-use restrictions, including hosepipe bans and irrigation restrictions for farmers. The United Kingdom — Environment Agency reported that English reservoirs have declined to 66% capacity, with several key reservoirs operating at 46-69% capacity. The drought is accompanied by Britain's fifth heatwave of the summer, with temperatures expected to reach mid-30s Celsius. The government has imposed irrigation restrictions and is supporting farmers in building on-site reservoirs. The drought has raised concerns about agriculture, wildlife, and wildfire risk. An estimated 2,877 heat-related deaths have been reported in Britain this year. Experts warn that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events, and the cumulative effect of three droughts in five years poses unprecedented challenges for water management.