71.3% of England declared in drought as fifth heatwave approaches
Four new regions move into drought status ahead of temperatures reaching 36°C later this week
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made
Hyde Park . Picture: Getty
Photograph: LBC (embedded from source)
What this story says
- The Environment Agency declared 71.3% of England in drought after adding four new regions, including the East Midlands and Kent.
- Temperatures are forecast to reach 36°C later this week, marking the fifth heatwave of the summer.
- England recorded its driest July since 1836, with some areas receiving no rainfall at all.
- Over 2,800 deaths have been linked to record-breaking heatwaves in May and June.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 6 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. Coverage measured .
Trust
74/100
Craft
100/100
Hype
15/100
6 sources · methodology
The Environment Agency announced that 71.3% of England is now in drought after four additional regions were moved into drought status. The areas added are the East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Kent and East Sussex, and Solent and the South Downs. The decision followed a meeting of the National Drought Group, which includes officials, water companies, and farming leaders.
The announcement comes as the UK prepares for its fifth heatwave of the summer, with temperatures expected to peak at 36°C on Thursday. The Met Office forecast mid-30s temperatures across England and Wales from Wednesday, with the highest readings likely in the Midlands and areas west of London. Health officials have issued amber heat health alerts for most of England, warning of risks to vulnerable populations.
England experienced its driest July since records began in 1836, with some regions receiving no rainfall. Two record-breaking heatwaves in May and June contributed to over 2,800 deaths, according to verified figures. Wildfires have also increased, with over 120 firefighters tackling a blaze in the New Forest that has affected a square kilometre of heathland and closed the A31.
What the coverage left out
No left-rated outlet ran this story. None of the right-rated digests mentioned the 2,800 deaths linked to heatwaves in May and June, a figure included in both centre-rated reports and LBC’s full report. The centre-rated reports also carried the Environment Agency’s statement that 245 wildfires have been reported on protected sites this year, a detail absent from all right-rated digests.
Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 1 time, most recently on 10 Aug 2026, 17:15, and will add the sides that appear.
How other outlets pictured it
Which photograph to run is each newsroom’s own choice. The leaning beside a name is that outlet’s published rating, not a claim that the pictures divide along it. Every picture is shown from the outlet’s own server and links to the article it ran in.
71.3% of England declared in drought as fifth heatwave approaches
Evening Standard — embedded from source
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
0 rated outlets
No outlet rated left has run this story so far. We are still checking, and will say plainly if that does not change.
Centre
2 rated outlets
- The two centre-rated reports, published by the Evening Standard and Market Screener, led on the expansion of drought status to 71.3% of England. Both included the Environment Agency’s warning that all regions are under pressure, with impacts on agriculture, public water supplies, and the environment. The Evening Standard quoted water minister Emma Hardy, who said the government was working to support farmers and reduce water leaks.
- The Evening Standard’s report detailed the progression of drought conditions, noting that the North East and Yorkshire had moved to “prolonged dry weather” status, the stage before drought. It also highlighted the strain on rivers and reservoirs, with only 14% of rivers at normal levels and reservoir levels at 69%, below the seasonal average. The report included a statement from Tony Grayling, strategic drought lead at the Environment Agency, who said, “Drought conditions are worsening and will continue to do so until we see significant and sustained rainfall.”
Right
4 rated outlets
- The four right-rated digests, from GB News, The Sun, and the Daily Express, and the full report from LBC, all led on the 71.3% figure and the addition of four new regions to drought status. LBC’s report included the Environment Agency’s warning that water resources are under pressure nationwide, with impacts on agriculture and public supplies. It also noted that 25 million people are under water restrictions, including hosepipe bans for all South East Water and Thames Water customers.
- LBC’s report quoted Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan, who said, “We’ll probably see highs reaching the mid-30s quite widely on Wednesday, and indeed on Thursday too for England and Wales.” The report also mentioned the closure of Chessington World of Adventures due to a water outage caused by a burst main. The Sun’s digest highlighted the 36°C forecast, while the Daily Express focused on the impact on farming, describing a “scorching start to August” and a “real toll” on agriculture.
Read it at the source
6 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
0No outlet in this group ran the story.
Centre
2- Almost three-quarters of England now in drought, UK government says (opens Market Screener in a new tab)
Market Screener — is Market Screener biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Almost three-quarters of England in drought as conditions worsen in dry August (opens Evening Standard in a new tab)
Evening Standard — is Evening Standard biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
4- Nearly three-quarters of England now in drought as 36C heatwave looms (opens LBC in a new tab)
- UK weather: Nearly three-quarters of Britain officially in drought amid record conditions (opens GB News in a new tab)
- Over 70% of England declares drought ahead of 36C temps - check 4 new regions (opens The Sun in a new tab)
- UK drought latest as huge chunks of England swelter in latest heatwave (opens Daily Express in a new tab)
Daily Express — is Daily Express biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
0No outlet in this group ran the story.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover 71.3% of England declared in drought as fifth heatwave approaches?
- Of the 6 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 0% are rated left, 33% are rated centre, 67% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is the coverage of 71.3% of England declared in drought as fifth heatwave approaches biased?
- 71.3% of England declared in drought as fifth heatwave approaches is one event reported by 6 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which outlets covered 71.3% of England declared in drought as fifth heatwave approaches?
- 6 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- How much of England is now in drought?
- The Environment Agency confirmed that 71.3% of England is in drought after four new regions were added. This follows the driest July on record since 1836 and ongoing heatwaves, which have worsened water shortages across the country.
- What are the expected temperatures this week?
- Temperatures are forecast to reach 36°C on Thursday, marking the fifth heatwave of the summer. The Met Office expects mid-30s temperatures across England and Wales from Wednesday, with the highest readings likely in the Midlands.
- How many deaths have been linked to this summer’s heatwaves?
- Over 2,800 deaths have been attributed to record-breaking heatwaves in May and June. The figure was reported by the Environment Agency and included in centre-rated outlets and LBC’s coverage.
- Which areas were added to drought status?
- The East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Kent and East Sussex, and Solent and the South Downs were moved into drought status. The announcement followed a meeting of the National Drought Group, which warned of widespread pressure on water resources.
How did this read?
About the coverage, not about the story. We do not ask whether you agree with what happened — we have no honest use for that answer.
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