Nearly three-quarters of England is currently in drought, the British government said on Monday. This underscores the worsening impact of prolonged dry weather on agriculture, public water supply systems, and wildlife.

According to official data, drought now affects 71.3% of the country. The situation has deteriorated significantly since the end of July, when drought status was in effect across about half of the country.

About 45 million people live in drought-affected areas, while 27 million have already faced official water-use restrictions.

The United Kingdom is experiencing its fifth heatwave of the year. In England and Wales, July was the driest in the past 190 years, and southeastern England received just 1% of its average monthly rainfall.

Water levels in rivers, reservoirs, and groundwater sources continue to fall. Hot and dry conditions greatly increase the risk of wildfires.

According to the government, the extreme heat is negatively affecting breeding bird populations, amphibians, and freshwater fish stocks.

According to information from UK health authorities released last month, about 2,877 people in the country have already died from heat-related causes.

Authorities are taking steps to minimize the impact of the crisis. As Water Minister Emma Hardy said, the government is increasing support for the public and making it easier for farmers to build additional on-site irrigation reservoirs.