Wildfires in London?

[bluenameblue]

We have had our first taste of wildfires and now they are hitting the capital.
I feel sort of shocked and really unsafe for the first time living in the UK. My climate fears always involved flooding, I didn't think about drying out.
.m

I'm shocked by it too. I have a relative who lives in Portugal, and I have always thought I'd rather be in a country prone to floods than to fires, but it seems we might get both now. I do think climate change is seriously kicking in now. And it's really no good banging on about what individuals can do, it's governments world-wide who have to take really decisive and cooperative action.
Which looks unlikely to be swift enough, even if they do come together and manage it.

Posted too soon, sorry.

I already have a couple of waterbutts for the garden but I'm thinking of installing more. A fairly local park installed (is that the right word?) a pond (basically dug a big hole and waited for the rain) and its been a haven for wildlife. I am wondering if we could add in a few more of these around local parks (and the rest of the country) if its getting dry enough to set fire (the fire fighters said glass bottles can also cause fires as well as disposable bbqs and cigarette butts. something I'd have never thought of) and maybe add a few water butt's to the gardens to collect water and keep greenery green.

I don't really have a point but this seems like a wake up call. England has been pretty insulated from the effects of climate change. This is a worry.

@heldinadream me too floods seem less risky (apart from flash floods but even still drowning seems preferable to burning to death)

it's hit a nerve with me, you can't really plan for a fire.

I'm thinking of water butt's and water storage after reading about the Australian to forgot to turn his sprinklers off and thankfully they saved his home from a wildfire.

just rambling.

Well ultimately the whole eco-system is interdependent, and of course climate catastrophes abroad will increase migration so there's no immunity.
But droughts mean failing crops. And that means food shortages.

Over-simplified I know.
I'm just rambling too. Rambling with you, OP. Water butts definitely a great idea if you have anything much of a garden (mine's really tiny).

oh Hellin a dream
I never thought about crops or food shortages and mass migration.
I have abstractly, but never thought about what it would mean for me personally.
They've already built over every inch if green space they could and have started chipping away at our parks round here. I suppose I should make the most of them while I csn I suppose building inland will get worse

I do feel terrible for everyone losing their homes and stuff but it still felt we had more time. I suppose I was holding onto 2050. Or even 2030. I feel like I'm losing my time to prepare

I don't fancy fighting over resources fucking hell.

Hey OP I wrote another response last night and then lost it and it was too late. I'm sorry I didn't mean to make it all seem worse than you already feel it is. Do you know there's a 'weather' board here where people have been discussing the drought/fires etc in the last week or so? This thread.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/weather/4583720-we-need-to-talk-about-the-weather-and-the-potential-for-extreme-heat?page=1