'National emergency' fears as UK faces temperatures as high as 38C in fifth heatwave

Parts of the UK could be set to swelter as the mercury looks set to hit 38C in the fifth heatwave of the summer, with dry conditions hampering conditions for firefighting crews battling blazes across the country.

One firefighters’ union chief has gone as far as declaring a wildfire “national emergency” for the UK, while weather bureau the Met Office has revealed Britain is on track for the hottest summer on record.

A number of rare amber “extreme heat” warnings have been issued for 12 counties across London and parts of the South East, East Midlands, East of England, A West Midlands and South Yorkshire, spanning from 9am Tuesday (August 11) and running until midnight on Thursday (August 13).

The alerts warn that temperatures could reach 33C on Wednesday before soaring to highs of 37C or 38C on Thursday, according to the Met Office.

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.

“High pressure is now becoming dominant and temperatures will build day by day. Southerly and south-easterly winds will also tap into the hot conditions over Europe which helps develop this further notable heat in what has been a hot and dry summer so far for many in the south of the UK.”

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has also issued its own amber heat health alerts, with warnings issued for all regions across the UK. UKHSA’s amber heat health alerts, which are designed to warn Britons when adverse temperatures are likely to impact on the health and wellbeing of the population, span from Tuesday (August 11) at 9am to Friday (August 14) at 9pm.

Fire Brigades Union general secretary Steve Wright told Times Radio the country is facing a national emergency “right now”, with blazes being seen “all across” the UK.

Firefighters have responded to 966 wildfires across England and Wales this year, including 185 during the first 10 days of August alone, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC).

July was the busiest month on record for wildfires, with 458 incidents recorded.

Crews from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service have been battling a blaze in the New Forest, which began after a van caught fire on the A31 near Ringwood on Sunday.

The area affected is protected heathland and is 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.”

Only average conditions are needed for the rest of August for the UK to beat the record for the warmest summer, which was set just last year.

Nearly three quarters of England and the whole of Wales are now in drought, after a record dry July and very dry start to August combined with high temperatures to put pressure on water resources.

Southern Water has applied for a rare drought order which would ban businesses from non-essential water use, including cleaning cars and filling non-domestic swimming pools.

The company said an “exceptional” lack of rain had threatened supplies in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

It warned that 165,000 people in the Southampton West supply area could face restricted supplies.

Environment Secretary Angela Eagle will decide on the application, which would be the first such ban since May 2006.

Elsewhere, water stations have opened in Ilford, east London, and Chigwell, Essex, after burst water mains left homes and businesses without water or with low water pressure since Sunday, Thames Water said.

Record-breaking heatwaves in May and June led to the deaths of more than 2,800 people, while parts of the country were hit by further heatwaves last month as England and Wales experienced their driest July since records began in 1836.

The Environment Agency said 71.3% of England is now experiencing “flash drought”, after a dry start to August followed the country’s driest July on record.

Flash drought is a phenomenon which develops very quickly because of a combination of very low rainfall and high 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.”