Extreme heat warning will come into force this week with temperatures forecast to hit mid-30s
Wildfires and water shortages are ramping up across the UK as the country braces itself for soaring temperatures in a fresh Vague De Chaleur.
Several grass fires broke out parts of southern and central England on Tuesday, including a blaze on the M25 near Enfield, Londres nord, which saw about five hectares of grass and shrubland set alight, the London Fire Brigade said.
Another huge fire broke out on Rushmere Heath, near Ipswich, Suffolk, with people told to avoid the area and residents advised to keep doors and windows closed due to the smoke.
pendant ce temps, Thames Water – which supplies water to 15 million customers across London and the Thames Valley – became the latest water company to signal it will bring in a hosepipe ban in the face of the hot, dry summer.
It came as the UK Health Security Agency extended its heat health warning for an extra day to Sunday evening over concerns the temperatures could affect public health.
A four-day Met Office extreme heat alert will come into force on Thursday, warning hot temperatures are likely to impact vulnerable people’s health and the wider population could also be hit by heat-related illness.
Water UK has published a number of handy tips for the home and garden to limit water usage and help take the strain off supplies.
Swathes of water companies have already signalled they will bring in a hosepipe ban to conserve water supply in the face of the hot, dry summer.
Here are seven ways you can help:
- Keep your shower time to just 4 minutes
- Replace your old shower head with a water efficient version
- Only run the dishwasher when it’s full
- Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth
- Wait for a full load before running your washing machine
- Use the eco setting on your dishwasher or washing machine
- Try to reuse water whenever you can
Oxfordshire village becomes ‘first area in UK to run dry’
A village in Oxfordshire has been named as the first area in the UK to have had its water supply run dry, leaving residents to rely on bottled and tanker water deliveries from Thames Water.
Northend is usually supplied by the Stokenchurch Reservoir, which ran dry as demand soared in the face of the hot, dry summer, rapports Le télégraphe.
Welcome to our live coverage on UK weather as temperatures are set to soar.
Tuesday brought with it a fresh wave of grass fires as water shortages continued to ramp up across the UK.
The UK Health Security Agency also extended its heat health warning for an extra day to Sunday evening, while the four-day Met Office extreme heat alert is expected to come into force on Thursday.
Pour le moment, here’s the Met Office outlook for today’s weather:
We are pausing our live updates for the evening.
How the heat is affecting the natural environment
The UK has seen dry conditions which, combined with last month’s record-breaking heatwave, have depleted rivers, reservoirs and aquifers and dried up soils, hitting agriculture, water supplies and wildlife and raising the risk of wildfires.
Analysis from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology warns river flows are set to remain exceptionally low in central, southern and eastern England until October.
Groundwater levels in southern England and South Wales will be below normal and exceptionally low in some areas for the next three months, Ça disait.
Several inches of extra rain, in addition to what would normally be expected, is needed to overcome the dry conditions in parts of southern England.
Temperatures to build throughout week, Met Office says
The Met Office has recapped its forecast for the week, saying temperatures are expected to increase and peak at the weekend.
How to keep cool in the day
And here are some more tips on how to keep cool during the day:
How to keep house cool in a heatwave
How to keep cool at night in a heatwave
Heatwaves can often lead to very warm nights that many may find very uncomfortable, especially without a fan or air-conditioning.
Mes collègues Sarah Young et Kate Ng have taken a look about how to keep cool at night as temperatures swelter:
Stop suffering during hot summer nights
Why is the UK underprepared for extreme heat?
Compared with other countries, the UK is underprepared for these heatwaves, les experts disent.
Jane Dalton takes a look at why and what can be done:
Experts call for resilience to be made a high political priority and homes and hospitals to be adapted for extreme heat
Advice on how to keep cool – from councils