This probably explains a substantial column of smoke I could see from the moors south of Drax, it is not that far south of Doncaster so given good visibility not that surprising. I thought it might be a crop fire.

Now we do have a crop fire that you may be able to see.  A large cornfield next to woodland is burning although they finished harvesting yesterday but I don’t know if they’ve baled yet.  There are at least 4 fire engines currently there and I doubt they’ve finished at the Ranskill tyre fire, so Notts Fire service will be doing overtime. 

---

Been to Leicester and back today. Things are relatively green here but particularly as you hit Nottinghamshire south it turns increasingly parched .

---

Been to Leicester and back today. Things are relatively green here but particularly as you hit Nottinghamshire south it turns increasingly parched .

  It has been very dry here and we’ve not had a single thunder storm this year, yet we’re usually the thunder capital!  We did have a few light showers last week and our lawn started to show signs of life but we’ve had drying winds as well.  The weather for the coming week isn’t going to encourage any more green either.  

We drove from Notts to Northampton today and there was no noticeable change in vegetation.  It was dry and yellow all the way.  

---

Been to Leicester and back today. Things are relatively green here but particularly as you hit Nottinghamshire south it turns increasingly parched .

Yes, a line drawn between about Birmingham and Nottingham seems to be the division in the drought. South and it's turning increasingly barren, north and it turns increasingly normal. The last two weeks have seen a month's worth of rain in my locale, so it's near-enough back to normal... though the current charts might mean it starts drying out again.

---

 

Yes, a line drawn between about Birmingham and Nottingham seems to be the division in the drought. South and it's turning increasingly barren, north and it turns increasingly normal. The last two weeks have seen a month's worth of rain in my locale, so it's near-enough back to normal... though the current charts might mean it starts drying out again.

Been a bit dryer here but enough to keep things ticking along, 40mm in June and another 40mm in July, it has been a dry year though, certainly things are not wet or sodden and water levels are generally low.  I don't think it would take much for things to get parched again. 

 

---

A deer went berserk in our garden last night. I'm not sure of the reason, but I'd refilled the small pond earlier in the day so perhaps it sensed the water.

---

A deer went berserk in our garden last night. I'm not sure of the reason, but I'd refilled the small pond earlier in the day so perhaps it sensed the water.

Are you sure it wasn't Liz Truss out canvassing?

 

---

Maybe water companies should fix all these leaks. I'm sure that would help the drought problems we face

 

 

Several roads in Holloway are closed due to a burst water main. (🎥 @TheTollington). #HeartNewspic.twitter.com/gQapjhjsFi

— Heart London News (@HeartLondonNews) August 8, 2022

Now we do have a crop fire that you may be able to see.  A large cornfield next to woodland is burning although they finished harvesting yesterday but I don’t know if they’ve baled yet.  There are at least 4 fire engines currently there and I doubt they’ve finished at the Ranskill tyre fire, so Notts Fire service will be doing overtime. 

The Ranskill fire was on our local news today, Caz. I expect you've seen this:

Ranskill tyre fire being treated as suspected arson

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-62447804

Sounds pretty much like the incident we had here earlier.

I was pleased to see the followup piece:

Police thank residents as tyre fire responders get free ice creams

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-62462868

Roger

---

Maybe water companies should fix all these leaks. I'm sure that would help the drought problems we face

 

But was it caused by the dry ground, as Darren had in Sheppy?

 

---

Fire at industrial site near Gainsborough was arson attack, police say
https://thelincolnite.co.uk/2022/08/fire-at-industrial-site-near-gainsborough-was-arson-attack-police-say/ 

"Fire crews from Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire all attended the scene after around one thousand tyres and scrap vehicles caught fire at the site off Station Road in Ranskill shortly after 10.20am on Friday, August 5."

Roger

---

Just returned from our first Centerparcs holiday for 3 years (had been going for 13 out of 18 previously).

Predictably, BBQs were banned- the very well drained soil is covered in brittle-dry pine needles).

Also predictably, some guests decided to any way.

I cycled around taking villa numbers and reporting to security staff on site. Last night, there were none. As with Covid, most people understood the potential catastrophic consequences of not following the rules which was reassuring- the usual smoky haze through the trees was replaced with the appetising smells of curry, spag bol etc.

Unfortunately I came back with Covid and am now banished to the bottom of the garden while my wife & children unpack. At least it's warm. Blooming hurts though!!

---

Maybe water companies should fix all these leaks. I'm sure that would help the drought problems we face

 

 

Several roads in Holloway are closed due to a burst water main. (🎥 @TheTollington). #HeartNewspic.twitter.com/gQapjhjsFi

— Heart London News (@HeartLondonNews) August 8, 2022

Don't be silly Gavin 😉 How are the poor buggers going to make more money 

---

We may just have the very beginnings of dry conditions developing here. May and June were pretty much average. July was dry but we received around 40% of normal so that has kept things as green as normal. However, we've had very little so far this month and with no prospects of rain in the reliable timeframe, we may just start to see the start of drought conditions here later in the month(assuming it stays dry, of course).

 

 

---

Been to Leicester and back today. Things are relatively green here but particularly as you hit Nottinghamshire south it turns increasingly parched .

I noticed the same, drove down to East Midlands airport and noticed how parched it was compared to Yorkshire 

---

Don't be silly Gavin 😉 How are the poor buggers going to make more money 

A BBC R4 interview today featured a bloke from the "Water Board" saying [I paraphrase]  that while it was important to fix leaks there were so many that you "end up chasing your tail" and the important task was to replace failing water mains.

I can see his point, but when you are asking folks not to water their lawns it [understandably] drives them crackers to see a flood of mains water in Islington!

Roger

---

 

A BBC R4 interview today featured a bloke from the "Water Board" saying [I paraphrase]  that while it was important to fix leaks there were so many that you "end up chasing your tail" and the important task was to replace failing water mains.

I can see his point, but when you are asking folks not to water their lawns it [understandably] drives them crackers to see a flood of mains water in Islington!

Roger

That's where these water companies and tories drives me up the wall, privatisation was suppose to be the answer to a more efficient system, same with rail, and all the other utilities or have I been sold a Boris Johnson bus?

---

Today will be the 40th day on the trot with no measurable rain at Odiham. Could reach 50 based on this morning’s GFS, although other models suggest the rainfest might start from the weekend.

---

I experienced my first heavy rain since June yesterday…in the Corsican mountains.

---

All of the smaller ponds on the local common have dried up completely. Not a trace of water to be seen.

---