LONDON (The Guardian) -
 Hundreds of people have been evacuated and a major incident declared after a wildfire spread over more than 80 hectares (200 acres) on the coast of Suffolk, just a few miles from the Sizewell B nuclear power station.
The fire – which had been described by one witness as “apocalyptic” – was said to be stabilizing on Thursday night. The statement was posted by Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, which said at least 12 fire crews were remaining overnight in the area.
Jon Lacey, the chief fire officer at Suffolk fire and rescue, said earlier in the evening: “The wind change has helped a little bit, unexpectedly, and also a helicopter [dropping water] is helping to dampen the fire down.”
The wildfire came a day after half of England was declared to be officially in drought, including East Anglia and six other areas. On Thursday, Natural Resources Wales declared a drought across the whole of Wales, which is on course for its driest July since records began nearly 200 years ago.
As the climate crisis supercharges “whiplash” wet-then-dry weather, the UK and Europe are seeing back-to-back heatwaves that encourage vegetation to grow but then dry it out, producing ideal fuel for fires.
Firefighters have responded to 393 wildfires across England and Wales in July, making it the busiest month on record and placing significant pressure on crews and resources.
Phil Garrigan, the chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, said: “Wildfires are no longer isolated or seasonal events. They are becoming a recurring and growing feature of the risks facing our communities and emergency services.
“As climate and environmental conditions continue to change, we must ensure our fire and rescue services are equipped to meet that challenge.”