A BBC journalist reflects on how this summer's extreme weather in the Midlands has made climate change feel tangible to many people for the first time, following a winter of relentless rain that gave way to drought and heatwaves. These conditions dried out vegetation across the region, fuelling wildfires that destroyed homes and damaged habitats such as Cannock Chase, while also creating conditions for new livestock diseases and straining water supplies.

Wildfires this summer included a major blaze in Stourbridge that destroyed 19 homes, and fires on Cannock Chase that killed wildlife such as adders and ground-nesting birds while altering the soil chemistry of its rare heathland. Warmer conditions have also allowed midge-borne bluetongue disease to spread into the region, with 24 confirmed livestock cases in Staffordshire and further cases in Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Solihull as of 2 September. Meanwhile, Severn Trent is expanding Draycote Water reservoir by 60cm to address rising concerns over water supply resilience amid the Met Office's warnings of worsening fire risk and pest habitats.