Drought risks killing off British wildlife The Environment Agency warned that the species have declined in much of England in recent years and the drought could sound the death knell in some smaller breeding sites. Forest fires will be of increasing concern in the English countryside, the agency said, while some trees including beech and birch could die off in the face of the drought. In its latest briefing on the drought situation last week, the Environment Agency said that after the previous week's "welcome" rain, the past week had been the driest for England and Wales for around six months. No more than a few millimetres of rain fell across the country, with the South East region receiving the most rain in the week - less than 0.2 inches (4mm). The agency is monitoring rivers more closely and increasing supplies of water aeration and fish rescue equipment to try and prevent fish deaths in shrinking rivers. It is also bringing in measures to help managers of important wildlife sites such as wetland reserves to maintain water levels on-site by abstracting more water from nearby rivers, and waiving the higher summer charges for doing so. Water companies across southern and eastern England have announced hosepipe bans in a bid to conserve water supplies in the face of two very dry winters which have left aquifers, rivers and reservoirs well below normal levels. Alistair Driver, Environment Agency national conservation manager, said: "The amount of water that we use at home and in our businesses has a direct effect on the amount of water available in our rivers and for wildlife. We would urge all water users - including consumers, businesses and farmers - to use water wisely to help protect our valuable natural environment. Nature is very resilient, but given that we are seeing early summer droughts like this happening more frequently, then we can expect to see the real impacts of climate change on the numbers and distribution of some of our more susceptible wildlife. Phil Burston, RSPB water policy officer, said: "Our reserves are designed to help wetlands and their wildlife cope with drought but we still need to do more to adapt to an increasingly unpredictable climate. The problem in the wider countryside outside managed nature reserves is likely to be even more desperate with wildlife that relies on healthy rivers, ponds and lakes left struggling this summer. Helen Perkins, of the Wildlife Trusts, said: "After such a long period of low rainfall, some species may not recover and could be lost from some rivers and wetlands if we don't act now. We urgently need to change the way we use water at home and across businesses. Saving water now could save wildlife from an absolute disaster.