Fresh yellow heat health alerts have been issued for parts of the UK, effective until 9am on Tuesday, as the country continues to experience extreme temperatures. The alerts, issued by the government, cover the south east and south west of England and London.
Heatwave and wildfire risks
The UK has been experiencing its fifth heatwave of the year, with Thursday recording the hottest day of 2026 at 38.1C in Kew Gardens, London. Dry vegetation has contributed to major wildfires, including a blaze in Stourbridge that destroyed 19 homes and spread across more than 500 acres.
The amber alerts from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which covered London, the South East, South West, East Midlands, West Midlands, and East of England, ended today. However, the new yellow alerts indicate that impacts on health and social care services are still likely.
Health and water risks
These impacts include increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people, greater risk to life for vulnerable individuals, potential for indoor environments to become very warm, and a rise in water-related incidents, such as cold-water shock and drowning.
Nearly three-quarters of England and the whole of Wales are in drought, following record dry conditions in July and a dry start to August, putting pressure on water resources for households, agriculture, and the environment.
Emergency alerts and response
Millions of people have been warned not to light anything that could spark a wildfire, including barbecues and garden incinerators, in what has been described as “the most extensive use” of the UK’s mobile phone alert system. The emergency alert was sent on Friday evening, appearing on mobile devices from 7pm.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged the public to take the warning “seriously” and said it was triggered at the request of firefighters. He had earlier visited Stourbridge, where the wildfire destroyed homes on Thursday.
Friday is provisionally a record-breaking 10th day in 2026 with temperatures exceeding 35C, according to the Met Office. Frittenden, near Ashford in Kent, reached 35.3C. Mr Burnham described Britain as “a tinderbox right now” with “37 fires smouldering around the country”.
