As an individual, I actually quite like warm and hot weather, but this Summer in the UK has been unprecedented in terms of both the high temperatures themselves and the duration of those high temperatures; its’ even exceeded the previous Summer, which was quite similar, especially where I live in the South West.
The wildfires that we’ve seen in France, Spain, the UK (including the tragic situation at Dunwich Heath and Minsmere in Suffolk, the New Forest, Stourbridge, and the Welsh Moors), and also elsewhere should serve as a huge wake-up call to all of us that the overall pressure that we apply to the planet, and the carelessness and stupidity that some individuals exhibit such as lighting camp fires and barbecues in tinder-dry nature reserves cannot and must not continue (put your brains into gear please). And then of course, there are those that do these things deliberately…
Amanda and I visited Dunwich Heath and Minsmere back in 2022, so it’s especially sad given that we’d seen the place as it should be. Let’s hope the reserve recovers and its’ inhabitants return in droves over the coming years.
As there’s been some horrendous wildfires in Spain, here’s three images from my 2025 European motorcycle trip that included the Spanish region of Extremadura, an area that’s very hot and dry in the Summer and is thus very vulnerable to fires. – JC
