People are warned to take additional precautions to prevent starting fires in the countryside during hot weather, as some farmers have reported losing crops worth thousands of pounds.
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) said fires were one of the biggest risks faced by farmers during heatwaves.
One farmer told that he lost crops worth approximately £40,000 when one of his fields caught fire last week.
Since 1976, England has seen the driest start to the year.
Last Tuesday marked the warmest temperature ever recorded in the United Kingdom, with thermometers in Lincolnshire reaching 40.3 degrees Celsius and more than thirty locations exceeding the previous record.
David Exwood, vice president of the NFU, stated that the lack of rain had raised the risk of field fires, despite the temperature becoming cooler.
“People in the countryside must exercise extreme caution because anything might catch fire in this weather,” he said.
Last Saturday, Andy Barr, the owner of an 800-acre farm near Lenham, Kent, had a 50-acre field of barley destroyed by a fire.
Although he hopes to file an insurance claim, Mr. Barr estimated that the crop was worth approximately £40,000.
He stated that it was a shocking experience to see his hard work go up in flames.
“You’ve spent an entire year cultivating it, and you’re ecstatic to finally harvest it this time of year. Thus, this was quite frustrating “he said.
“However, I’ve gotten over the first shock, and we’re just waiting to see what the insurers come up with.”
Mr. Barr was also appreciative of the firemen and neighbors who assisted prevent the fire from spreading by ploughing crops that had not yet caught fire to create a fire break.
NFU Mutual, a rural insurer, stated that the majority of farmers cover their buildings, machinery, and crops and that it has experienced a “significant increase” in claims for farm fires during the recent heatwave.
In the previous year, it was estimated that farm fire claims exceeded £70 million.
It asked individuals not to discard spent matches or cigarettes, not to use disposable barbecues on grass or moorland, and not to abandon trash, as discarded bottles can concentrate sunlight and spark a fire.
David Exwood of the NFU stated that the dry, hot weather was also reducing the yields and quality of crops such as potatoes, sugar beets, and maize.
He stated that this could result in short-term shortages of some products on store shelves and price increases for consumers.
He stated that the longer the dry weather persists, the bigger the impact.
On his farm in Sussex, Mr. Exwood reported that his maize was suffering from a lack of precipitation and that he anticipated a “dramatically reduced yield” that may cost him tens of thousands of pounds.
Due to the heat, Hannah Buisman, who works on her parent’s farm near St. Albans, Hertfordshire, said that hay and cereal crop yields had decreased.
She stated that this was having a negative financial impact on the farm at a time when energy bills were rising.
Ms. Buisman stated that her family postponed crop combining last week due to the dangerously high temperatures. She said that if combined harvesters strike a bottle or flint left in a field, it can spark a fire by striking a flame.
She asked individuals not to discard trash in fields and noted that a nearby farm had suffered a 640-acre crop loss due to a fire.
She stated, “It’s the greatest nightmare, especially in years as turbulent as these.”
