After a year of weather extremes, NRW urges people across Wales to ‘Be Flood Ready’

Following a summer marked by drought and wildfires Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is urging people across Wales not to become complacent about flood risk this autumn and winter.

Communities across Wales experienced devastating flooding and storms last winter, before prolonged dry conditions, drought and significant wildfires affected many parts of the country during the summer. As climate change continues to bring more frequent and intense weather extremes, NRW is reminding people that flood risk can quickly return as autumn and winter weather arrives.

Through its annual Be Flood Ready campaign NRW is encouraging people to understand their flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings and take simple, practical steps now to prepare, before severe weather arrives.

With 1 in 7 homes and businesses in Wales at risk of flooding, NRW says knowing what to do before flooding happens can make a significant difference to reducing impacts on people, homes and businesses.

Before the autumn and winter storm season arrives, everyone should:

Being prepared and acting early when warnings are issued can significantly reduce the impact of flooding on people, homes and businesses.

Jeremy Parr, Head of Flood and Incident Risk Management at Natural Resources Wales, said: “Wales is no stranger to extreme weather, and many communities will still be feeling the effects of flooding and storms experienced last winter, as well as drought and wildfires this summer.

“After a dry summer, flood risk may not be at the forefront of people’s minds, but the change in seasons can bring very different weather conditions very quickly. Just because you’ve never experienced flooding before doesn’t mean you’re not at risk.

“Time and time again, many people who experience devastating flooding in their homes tell us they’d never flooded before, and didn’t think it would happen to them.

“Understanding your flood risk now and signing up for our free flood warning service can help you be better prepared when severe weather arrives.”

Preparing for flooding starts with knowing your risk, but building resilience requires action at every level – by governments, by organisations like NRW, Local Authorities and water companies, but also by those at risk of flooding.

NRW continues to invest in flood risk management schemes designed to reduce flood risk to communities where engineering solutions are feasible and can provide long-term benefits.

However, it is not possible to build flood defences everywhere, and climate change means communities across Wales will increasingly need to understand their risk and be prepared to respond when flooding is forecast. Flood defences can help reduce the risk of flooding, but that risk cannot be removed completely. Resilience starts with people and communities understanding their risk and knowing what action to take when warnings are issued

Community flood plans are becoming an increasingly important way of helping communities prepare for severe weather. Developed by local residents and volunteers, these plans help identify local flood risks, support vulnerable neighbours, set out practical actions before, during and after a flood, and enable communities to respond quickly when warnings are issued.

There are practical steps people can take to know their flood risk and prepare for flooding. People can check their flood risk on the NRW website through their simple postcode checker, sign up for the free flood warning , and find important information on how to prepare a flood plan and find out what to do in a flood.

For more information visit NRW’s flooding pages naturalresources.wales/flooding.