Ask anybody about Wales and there are probably a few things that come to mind. Welsh cakes, choirs, and probably rain. The declaration of drought status across the whole of Wales tells a much bigger story than one dry month. It is a warning about the Wales we are becoming if we do not move faster to adapt to climate change and restore the natural systems that help protect us. 

This July, Wales received just 8% of its long-term average rainfall, with many rivers now exceptionally low and reports of drying riverbeds, fish in distress, algal blooms, wildfire risk, and growing pressure on farming and livestock. Natural Resources Wales has made clear that drought is declared when low rainfall and water availability are already affecting rivers, groundwater, ecosystems, agriculture and land management.

The impacts of climate change should now be in no doubt. Drought, extreme heat, wildfire, flooding, water scarcity and biodiversity loss are not separate problems. They are connected symptoms of a landscape and seascape under stress. We cannot meet this challenge by responding to each emergency in isolation. Wales needs a long-term national effort to make our communities, farms, rivers and wildlife more resilient. 

The horrifying wildfires seen across Wales and the wider UK this year show what this means in practice. The immediate source of ignition matters, whether that is a discarded cigarette, an unattended campfire, deliberate fire-setting, machinery, or another spark. These risks should be taken seriously and reduced wherever possible. That means stronger public warnings during periods of high fire risk, better education about behaviours that can start fires, and clear, repeated messaging across all channels about just how quickly fires can take hold in dry conditions.

But ignition is only part of the story. A small spark becomes a major wildfire because the landscape around it has been made hotter, drier and more flammable by climate change, degraded habitats and land management pressures. If we only talk about how fires start, and not why they spread so quickly and burn so intensely, we will keep missing the lesson.

Reducing wildfire risk in the Welsh uplands is complex but simply putting more livestock onto the hills could make the situation worse. In many places, past policies and long-term drainage have left upland peatlands drier, poorer in wildlife and more vulnerable to fire. Heavy grazing by sheep can make the problem worse, because sheep tend to avoid tough Molinia grass, allowing it to dominate large areas. This dry tussocky grass that can become highly flammable in dry weather. The priority now should be to restore the natural resilience of these landscapes by blocking drainage channels (over 2,000kms according to Natural Resources Wales), rewetting peat, helping bog and heathland plants to recover, and using light levels of mixed grazing by the right animals in the right places. This is a more practical and lasting way to reduce wildfire risk. It also will bring back these areas for wildlife and importantly these restored habitats will help alleviate flooding and drought for communities in Wales.  

Nature-based solutions offer the best approach because they tackle several risks at once. Restored peatlands keep more water in the landscape, store carbon and reduce the conditions that allow wildfires to spread. Healthy wetlands slow and clean water, support wildlife and ease pressure on rivers during dry periods. Trees, when planted in the right places and managed well, bring shade providing cooler rivers and streets. 

These are not optional environmental extras; they are practical climate adaptation measures that reduce risk before disaster strikes.

That means using the policy levers Wales already has and strengthening them where needed. Welsh Government should make climate adaptation and nature recovery a core test of decision-making. The Sustainable Farming Scheme must help farmers and land managers restore the habitats that rewet our landscapes to reduce wildfire risk. Planning policy should make new development part of the solution by managing water sustainably, creating shade and space for nature, and avoiding further pressure on already stressed ecosystems. Wales should seek to have a minimum of 20% tree cover in urban areas. Water companies and regulators must also move faster to tackle leakage and pollution, while investing in catchment-scale restoration. Wherever nature-based solutions can reduce risk, save money and deliver wider public benefit, they should be the first choice for public funding.

The immediate priority is for everyone to use water wisely and reduce pressure on rivers and ecosystems already under strain. We need to mindful that wildlife is also suffering and simple things such as putting out shallow bowl of water in your garden can a big difference. But the longer-term lesson is clear. Wales must adapt to climate change, and adaptation will fail unless nature is restored at the scale needed.

Welsh Government should now:

• Issue urgent, strengthened and repeated public messaging on wildfire ignition, particularly during periods of dry weather and high fire risk, using all available media and public information channels.
• Continue and expand public education on climate change, making clear how drought, extreme heat, wildfire, flooding, water scarcity and biodiversity loss are connected.
• Use all available policy, funding and regulatory levers to restore habitats at scale. Prioritise habitat restoration as core climate adaptation infrastructure, recognising the resilience these natural systems provide in the face of extreme weather.
• Ensure farming, planning, water and nature recovery policies are aligned so that public money and public decisions reduce risk, restore nature and protect communities.

Nature is one of our strongest allies in responding to climate change. If we restore nature at scale, Wales will be able to hold water in the landscape, reduce wildfire risk, and give communities, farmers and wildlife greater resilience to the extremes we are already experiencing. The drought declaration should therefore be treated not only as a warning, but as a clear call to action.