Burnham to chair emergency Cobra meeting as UK braces for 38C heat
Rare amber extreme heat warnings are in place from 9am until midnight on Thursday across much of the UK
The Prime Minister will chair an emergency Cobra meeting today as parts of the UK brace for temperatures of up to 38C, with wildfires, drought and pressure on the NHS escalating.
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Rare amber extreme heat warnings are in place from 9am until midnight on Thursday across London, the South East, East Midlands, East of England, West Midlands and South Yorkshire.
The Met Office said temperatures could reach 33C on Wednesday before climbing to 37C or 38C in some areas.
Ministers from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Home Office, and Department for Health will attend the meeting. The Environment Agency will also be present.
It will be the second Cobra meeting this year on heatwaves, after one took place amid high temperatures in June.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister will chair a meeting of COBRA - the government emergency committee - this afternoon on the UK's ongoing response to extreme heat, wildfires and drought.
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“We know how challenging this summer is proving, particularly for firefighters tackling wildfires, farmers working in drought conditions, and NHS staff in busy A&E units.
“We will continue to take the action needed to keep communities safe, protect water supplies and safeguard the environment.”
It comes as the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) warned the country faces a “national emergency” over wildfires.
Firefighters have attended 966 wildfires across England and Wales this year, including 185 in the first 10 days of August alone, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council.
July was the busiest month on record for wildfires, with 458 incidents.
Crews have been battling a blaze in the New Forest after a van caught fire on the A31 near Ringwood on Sunday.
The fire spread to protected heathland, which is home to rare wildlife.
FBU general secretary Steve Wright said firefighters in some areas did not have the modern equipment needed to deal with increasingly frequent extreme-weather incidents.
The Government said it has made national capabilities available to fire crews, announced £97m in funding for firefighting equipment and worked with water companies on leak repairs and emergency water-saving measures.
Nearly three-quarters of England and all of Wales are in drought after record dry conditions and high temperatures put severe strain on water supplies.
Southern Water has applied for a drought order that could restrict non-essential business water use in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, warning that 165,000 people in the Southampton West supply area could face restricted supplies.
The public has been urged to follow UK Health Security Agency heat-health alerts, drink plenty of fluids, close curtains and windows in sun-facing rooms, and check on older or vulnerable neighbours, friends and relatives.