The UK faces a "national emergency" over wildfires, according to the Fire Brigades Union general secretary, as temperatures could reach 38C and the Met Office issues rare amber "extreme heat" warnings.
Heatwave warnings and temperatures
The Met Office has issued rare amber "extreme heat" warnings for London and parts of the South East, East Midlands, East of England, West Midlands and South Yorkshire from 9am to midnight on Thursday. Temperatures could climb to 33C on Wednesday before potentially soaring to highs of 37C or 38C on Thursday.
Met Office chief forecaster Chris Bulmer said: "While the peak heat will be more short-lived than recent heatwaves, temperatures widely into the mid-30s Celsius on Thursday brings the potential for impacts for some, which is why a Met Office warning has been issued."
Wildfire emergency and firefighter resources
Steve Wright, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, told Times Radio that the country faces a national emergency "right now", with blazes seen "all across" the UK. Firefighters have tackled 966 wildfires across England and Wales this year, including 185 in the first 10 days of August alone, while July proved to be the busiest month on record for wildfires with 458 incidents, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC).
Crews from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service have been battling a blaze in the New Forest, which broke out after a van caught fire on the A31 near Ringwood on Sunday. The area affected by the fire is protected heathland and home to a number of rare species, according to the New Forest National Park Authority.
Mr Wright said: "In many parts of the country, firefighters do not have the new modern equipment to deal with these. They do not have the new modern personal protective equipment, the lightweight fire kit that we wear, the right helmets, lightweight helmets, breathable uniforms to make sure they're better protected, their health is protected when they're out dealing with these incidents for hours and hours on end."
Drought and water restrictions
Almost three quarters of England and the entirety of Wales are experiencing drought, after a record dry July and a very dry start to August combined with soaring temperatures have placed enormous strain on water resources. Southern Water has submitted an application for a rare drought order that would prohibit businesses from non-essential water usage, including cleaning cars and filling non-domestic swimming pools, warning that an "exceptional" lack of rain has threatened supplies in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
The company cautioned that as many as 165,000 residents in the Southampton West supply area could face restricted water supplies. Environment Secretary Angela Eagle will rule on the application, which would mark the first such ban since May 2006. Elsewhere, water stations were set up in Ilford, east London, and Chigwell, Essex, after burst water mains left homes and businesses without water or suffering low water pressure since Sunday, according to Thames Water.
Record heat and health impacts
The Met Office says only average conditions are required for the remainder of August to surpass the record for the warmest summer, set just last year. Record-breaking heatwaves in May and June resulted in the deaths of more than 2,800 people, while swathes of the country were battered by further heatwaves last month as England and Wales endured their driest July since records began in 1836.
The Environment Agency revealed that 71.3% of England is now experiencing "flash drought", following a dry start to August after the country's driest July on record. A flash drought is one that develops rapidly due to a combination of extremely low rainfall and soaring temperatures. Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "I want to thank NHS staff who are once again stepping up to cope with the extra pressures that hot weather brings. Extreme heat can be dangerous, so staying aware of warnings and alerts in place can make a real difference."
