Farm fire costs have climbed to £118m, as record temperatures take their toll on farmers across the country.

The figure marks a sharp rise in the financial burden of fire on farm businesses, with prolonged heat and dry conditions driving up both the frequency and severity of incidents. Record temperatures this summer have left crops, stubble, barns and stored forage more vulnerable to ignition, and insurers are now counting the cost.

Why does this matter for farm businesses?

A £118m bill is not an abstract statistic. Every pound of it represents lost stored grain, destroyed machinery, burnt buildings or scorched standing crops — losses that can wipe out a season's margin in a single afternoon.

Fire risk rises sharply during hot, dry spells because:

• Stubble and dead vegetation ignite easily and fire spreads fast across bare ground
• Stored hay and straw can self-heat and combust when baled at high moisture
• Hot machinery surfaces and electrical faults are more likely to trigger blazes
• Emergency access can be slower in remote field locations

What should farmers watch next?

Farmers should review their fire risk assessments before the next spell of extreme heat: check insurance cover levels against current replacement costs, maintain fire breaks around stored bales and buildings, and keep machinery servicing records up to date. As record temperatures become more frequent, insurers are expected to scrutinise risk management practices more closely at renewal.