Our Wild Things columnist Eric Brown considers the wildlife damage inflicted by recent wildfires and suggests measures we can adopt to help prevent these incidents in powder-keg conditions.
We can debate causes of climate change endlessly but it seems indisputable that milder winters and hotter summers are here to stay.
Wild Things: A new buzzword to add to our nature vocabulary
Recent unprecedented temperatures emphasised that water management needs improvement and people must take extra care in parched countryside.
Britain's driest July since 1935 led to streams and rivers disappearing, reservoirs falling to crisis levels and a series of ferocious wildfires playing havoc with buildings, countryside and wildlife.
Television cameras captured devastation in Wennington, Essex, when a compost heap caught fire as the temperature approached 40C and flames fanned by strong wind engulfed nearby houses and grassland.
In the background could be seen smoke from further fires sweeping across Dartford and Crayford marshes. Another fire at Dartford Heath only ceased destroying all in its path when it met the natural barrier of the A2 road.
Somehow the RSPB reserve at Rainham Marshes and Thames Water's Crossness nature reserve in Belvedere were spared despite being in the firing line.
Wild Things: The worst year ever for butterfly numbers
Birds fly to escape marsh fires yet are still devastated by loss of habitat and food. Plants, seeds and insects on which warblers, buntings and larks rely will have been reduced to ash and ground-based nests destroyed. Grazing animals like horses and rabbits who avoided fire face eking out a living on grass areas reduced to charred, black-brown wasteland. Stoats, weasels, mice, voles and insects pay a heavy price in grass fires and marsh ditches harbouring frogs and grass snakes have been contaminated.
Crossness reserve manager Karen Sutton, concerned by a fire in nearby West Thamesmead, said: "The site is tinder dry with many pools dried out and ditches reduced to less than half normal depth. We can only hope for rain."
Karen has issued instructions to reserve visitors spotting fire. They should first keep themselves safe by leaving the area. Only then call 999 for the fire brigade, alert Karen on 07747 643958 or the Crossness Control Room (07747 642637) which is a 24/7 contact.
Every visitor to the countryside, nature reserves or other open areas can help prevent fire by extinguishing discarded cigarettes properly, giving up barbecues and removing litter like metal cans or glass which cause fire by reflecting hot sun.
One Crossness visitor got an unexpected reward for braving the skin-searing sunshine. Bernie Weight found a rare lesser emperor dragonfly in two different locations there and managed to capture some excellent photographs.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here