A 200-year-old torchlit procession in Uckfield, East Sussex has been cancelled this year due to fears it could spark a wildfire after weeks of dry weather. The Uckfield Bonfire and Carnival Society said its insurers would no longer cover the use of torches following a Government Emergency announcement warning of heightened fire risk, forcing organisers to abandon the tradition to protect the town. This matters as it reflects a wider pattern of UK events being scaled back or cancelled this year amid concerns over drought conditions and fire danger.

The society, which had been monitoring the situation since the Government's emergency warning on 14 August and consulted East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, also cancelled the accompanying Friday night fireworks display. Residents have instead been asked to bring battery-powered lanterns and fairy lights to "light the town up" during Saturday's event, part of the carnival's 199th year. The carnival itself, taking place on 4 and 5 September, will still go ahead, and neighbouring groups including Burgess Hill, Rotherfield & Mark Cross, and East Grinstead bonfire societies have publicly backed the decision.