Wildfires continued to rage across Britain today amid warnings that the country could be crippled by even hotter temperatures from Sunday – as the heatwave is set to cause chaos to transport, the NHS and other key services.
Smoke continued to billow from fires on Salisbury Plain today, after the Ministry of Defence said three blazes were caused by live firing during military training on Monday – with locals urged to keep their windows shut.
There was also a major grass fire on the Pembrokeshire coast near the popular seaside resort of Tenby – after other blazes at a solar farm in Dorset, and in fields in Norfolk and North Yorkshire, all sparked by the blistering weather.
Rail bosses say trains may have to be cancelled and speed restrictions imposed due to high track temperatures, doubling journey times for passengers – while the Met Office said roads could also be shut and flights cancelled.
Some hospitals have already declared ‘critical incidents’ and every ambulance trust in England is on the highest level of alert, with patients already suffering up to 24-hour handover waits in A&E because of the heat.
Councils have also warned binmen may be forced to halt collections and unions have urged firms to allow staff to work from home or leave the office early to avoid overheating at their desks or on their daily commute.
But while workers have been seen walking with fans in an attempt to cool down, those Britons not at work are making the most of the balmy temperatures as they flock to beaches or splash about in fountains and streams.
The Met Office and UK Health Security Agency expect the weather to be life-threatening with forecasts that the mercury could top 40C (104F) in Britain for the first time at some point between this Sunday and Tuesday.
Temperatures are set to hit 30C (86F) again today, before dipping slightly to 27C (81F) between tomorrow and Saturday – then soaring again from Sunday. Temperatures of up to 38C (100F) are currently forecast for London next Monday and Tuesday, and no respite is expected until next Wednesday when highs of 25C (77F) are due.
It continues the prolonged hot spell that has seen highs of 31.7C (89.1F) in Surrey yesterday after 32C (90F) in London on Monday, 30.1C (86.2F) last Sunday, 27.5C (81.5F) last Saturday, and 29.3C (84.7F) last Friday.
Last night was the second ‘tropical night’ in a row – a declaration made when temperatures do not fall below 20C (68F) all night. The lowest temperature in London overnight was 21.5C (70.7F) on what was the UK’s warmest night of the year so far – one day after minimum overnight temperatures of 20.5C (68.9F) in Sheffield on Monday night.
Despite the heat in recent days, June 17 still stands as the hottest day of 2022 so far when 32.7C (90.9F) was recorded in London. The UK’s highest ever temperature was 38.7C (101.6F) in Cambridge on July 15, 2019.
Very high temperatures are also being seen in Spain, Portugal and France this week – with Seville hitting 42C (108F) amid a lack of rainfall, wildfires visible in Lisbon and temperatures of up to 39C in some parts of France.
Smoke billows from a grass fire today above Monkstone Beach between Tenby and Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire, Wales
A grass fire has taken hold of land above Monkstone Beach between Tenby and Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire today
Smoke billows from a grass fire today above Monkstone Beach between Tenby and Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire, Wales
A grass fire has taken hold of land above Monkstone Beach between Tenby and Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire today
Smoke billows from a grass fire today above Monkstone Beach between Tenby and Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire, Wales
A grass fire has taken hold of land above Monkstone Beach between Tenby and Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire today
Smoke billows from a grass fire today above Monkstone Beach between Tenby and Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire, Wales
Smoke billows from wildfires on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire yesterday after live firing during military training on Monday
Training safety officials at the scene of the Salisbury Plain wildfires in Wiltshire yesterday – which are continuing today
The Government said ministers and officials are drawing up plans with the NHS and councils amid concerns the lives of vulnerable people, such as children, the elderly or those with existing health conditions, could be at risk.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: ‘There is significant work going on across government in making sure those who are most vulnerable to high temperatures are looked after and given the requisite advice.’
But critics questioned the need for a national emergency response, saying it was indicative of the ‘snowflake Britain’ we now live in.
Sir John Hayes, chairman of the Common Sense Group of Conservative MPs, told the Daily Telegraph: ‘It is not surprising that in snowflake Britain, the snowflakes are melting.
‘The idea that we clamour for hot weather for most of the year and then shutdown when it does heat up is indicative of the state in which we now live.’
The Trades Union Congress called for a maximum indoor temperature of 30C (86F) – or 27C (81F) for those doing strenuous jobs – to indicate when work should legally stop. No official limit currently exists.
It also wants companies to allow staff to come in earlier or stay later to ‘avoid the stifling and unpleasant conditions of the rush-hour commute’, adding: ‘Bosses should consider enabling staff to work from home while it is hot.’
Yesterday the Met Office extended its rare ‘amber’ warning for extreme heat across large parts of England and Wales into the beginning of next week.
The warning initially covered all day Sunday but will now run until 11.59pm on Monday, forecasters said. It is only the third time such a warning has been issued.
The amber warning covering for Sunday and Monday says there could be a danger to life or potential serious illness, with adverse health effects not just limited to the most vulnerable.
There could also be road closures, and delays and cancellations to rail and air travel.
Met Office forecaster Matthew Box said: ‘As we get into Sunday it looks like we could see temperatures rise into the high 20s and into the low 30s as well but potentially a few spots getting 34C or 35C by Sunday and probably the same again on Monday.
‘We could see by Monday temperatures getting towards the mid or high 30s and there’s about a 30 per cent chance we could see the UK record broken, most likely on Monday at the moment.’
High temperatures may also last into Tuesday. ‘It’s looking like things are going to become hot or very hot as we go through the weekend and into next week,’ Mr Box added.
He explained the heatwave is a result of hot air flowing to the UK from the continent.
He said: ‘What happens as we get into the weekend, the high pressure becomes centred to the east of the UK and that allow a southerly flow of air to drag up, the very warm air that’s over France at the moment, and drag it northwards to the UK over the weekend, perhaps more so on Sunday and into Monday.’
Temperatures were hottest in London and the South of England yesterday as people flocked to beaches such as Bournemouth and Brighton.
Others enjoyed city centre fountains and streams, such as in the River Darent in Eynsford, Kent.
However, it was slightly cooler and cloudier in northern areas, with some light showers reported in the North West and Yorkshire.
Overnight temperatures are also much warmer than normal, forecasters said.
Monday night was officially ‘tropical’ in parts of Yorkshire and the East Midlands, with overnight temperatures not dipping below 20.5C (69F) in Sheffield.
The hot weather is already causing problems across some services, with all ambulance trusts in England on the highest level of alert due to extreme pressures caused by high temperatures and Covid-19 absences among staff.
One hospital reported an ambulance delayed for 24 hours outside A&E on Monday evening.
Another trust, which runs the Queen Alexander Hospital, in Portsmouth, declared a ‘critical incident’ due to the weather and staff sickness.
London Ambulance Service urged the public to support it as the heat continues by only calling 999 in the event of a life-threatening emergency, keeping hydrated and staying out of the sun during the hottest periods of the day.
And South Oxfordshire District Council warned that bin collections may have to stop because of the heat – with residents advised to leave bins out for two days after their scheduled collection if they are not emptied.
Warnings over delays to bin collections have also been issued for residents in Greenwich, South East London.
Network Rail also said it was gearing up to implementing widespread speed restrictions to prevent tracks buckling.
The firm, which is responsible for 20,000 miles of track in the UK, said that when air temperatures top 30C the temperature on the steel rails can be as much as 20C higher.
A spokesman said journey times could be substantially longer due to the slower services and urged passengers to take plenty of water with them.
Although water firms are not yet bringing in hosepipe bans, they admitted reservoir supplies are lower than average because of less rainfall than usual in 2022.
They urged people to help conserve supplies, by turning off taps when brushing their teeth or washing dishes, running dishwashers only when full, switching the garden hose for watering cans, reusing paddling pool water for plants, letting the lawn go brown and avoiding washing cars.
Commuters travel on the Jubilee Line this morning during stifling temperatures on the London Underground network
Passengers commute to work on the Jubilee line this morning as they continue to face high temperatures on the Underground
Passengers commute to work on the Jubilee line this morning as they continue to face high temperatures on the Underground
Passengers wait for the doors to close on a Jubilee line train at Bermondsey station in South East London this morning
Three people run into the sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach in North Tyneside early this morning as the heatwave continues
Yorkshire Water said it pumped 200 million litres more water than normal on Monday, an amount equivalent to supplying another city the size of Leeds.
The hot weather has already claimed the lives of two 16-year-old boys, with police and charities urging teenagers to think twice about jumping into rivers, lakes and reservoirs to cool off.
The body of Jamie Lewin, from Southport, Merseyside, was recovered from a quarry in Appley Bridge, near Wigan, on Saturday.
And Alfie McCraw, who was out celebrating the end of his GCSE examinations with friends, drowned after getting into difficulty while swimming in the Aire and Calder Navigation, near Southern Washlands, West Yorkshire, on Monday evening.
The Royal Life Saving Society UK warned people about the dangers of trying to cool off in lakes, quarries, rivers and other waterways in the extremely hot weather.
Meanwhile a sun cream brand is to stop producing products with an SPF of lower than 50 for children and 15 for adults to encourage customers to lower their risk of developing skin cancer.
Boots’ own-brand Soltan has stopped making SPF 30 products for children and SPF 8 products for adults as part of a partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support to improve awareness of sun safety.
SPF (Sun protection factor) refers to the amount of UVB protection a product provides from the damaging effects of the sun.
The higher the SPF, the greater the protection from UVB rays and sunburn and the lower the risk of developing skin cancer.
It comes as all ambulance services in England are on the highest level of alert and are under ‘extreme pressure’.
An ‘amber’ extreme heat warning issued by the Met Office covering much of England and Wales on Sunday and Monday says there could be a danger to life or potential serious illness, with adverse health effects not just limited to the most vulnerable
A combination of Covid absences among staff, difficulty caused by the hot weather and ongoing delays in handing over patients to A&E has left ambulance trusts struggling to cope.
All 10 ambulance services have confirmed they were on the highest level of alert after the Health Service Journal (HSJ) first reported they were.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said it had been on the highest level of alert – known as REAP 4 – for a few months, while South Central Ambulance Service said it was also at REAP 4, which means trusts are under ‘extreme pressure’.
South Central added that it had also declared a critical incident ‘due to current pressures on our services’.
It said in a statement: ‘We continue to prioritise our response to those patients with life-threatening and serious emergencies but, due to the current levels of pressure we are seeing, there will be delays in responding to other patients with less urgent needs who are assessed as requiring an ambulance response.
‘We are experiencing an increasing number of 999 calls into our service, combined with patients calling back if there is a delay in our response to them. As a result, our capacity to take calls is being severely challenged.
‘This is combined with the challenges of handing patients over to busy hospitals across our region and a rise in Covid infections, as well as other respiratory illnesses, among both staff and in our communities.
‘This week we are also faced with high temperatures across our region which we know will lead to an increase in demand on our service. All of these issues combined are impacting on our ability to respond to patients.’
A North West Ambulance Service spokesman said: ‘As a result of the recent warm weather and increased demand, we have decided to step up to Level 4 of Resource Escalation Action Plan (REAP).
‘In moving to REAP Level 4, we will be maximising all available resources, increasing staffing levels in emergency call centres and on the road.
‘We urge the public to reserve the 999 service for emergencies only and consider if their GP, pharmacist or 111.nhs.uk could provide them with the medical help they need.’
South East Coast Ambulance Service confirmed it moved to REAP 4 this week.
A London Ambulance Service spokesman said it had moved to REAP 4 ‘as a result of a sustained demand on both our 999 and 111 services, and with hot weather set to continue over the next few days’.
He added: ‘The public can support us by only calling 999 in the event of a life-threatening emergency and by taking steps to keep hydrated and stay out of the sun at the hottest periods of the day.’
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust also confirmed it was at REAP 4, as did the East Midlands Ambulance Service, the East of England Ambulance Service and the Yorkshire Ambulance Service.
North East Ambulance Service said it increased its alert level on Monday.
Donna Hay, strategic commander at the service, said: ‘As a result of sustained pressure on our service and wider system pressures, as well as anticipated pressure continuing over the next week, including a potential increase in heat-related incidents, we made a decision to increase our operational alert level to four on 11 July.
‘The public can continue to support us by only calling 999 in a life-threatening emergency.’
Shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, said: ‘Twelve years of Conservative mismanagement has left our ambulance service in crisis.
‘Patients are left for far longer than is safe and lives are being lost as a result.’
According to HSJ, West Midlands had more than half of its ambulance crews queued outside hospitals at one point on Monday.
A spokesman for the trust said one ambulance crew had to wait 24 hours to hand a patient over.
Meanwhile, the chief executive of an acute trust in the Midlands region told HSJ: ‘We had a very very challenged night for handovers last night, possibly the worst ever and it is only July.’
Martin Flaherty, managing director of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, said: ‘The NHS ambulance sector is under intense pressure, with all ambulance services operating at the highest level of four within their local resource escalation action plans, normally only ever reserved for major incidents or short-term periods of unusual demand.
‘Severe delays in ambulance crews being able to hand over their patients at many hospital emergency departments are having a very significant impact on the ambulance sector’s ability to respond to patients as quickly as we would like to, because our crews and vehicles are stuck outside those hospitals.
‘Added to this, we have a number of staff absences due to a rise in Covid cases as well as additional pressure caused by the current hot weather, which is making things even tougher for our staff and of course the patients they are caring for.’
He urged people not to call 999 back to ask about an estimated arrival time unless the patient’s condition has changed.
A spokesman for NHS England said: ‘Near record levels of 999 calls, challenges discharging patients to social care settings, increasing Covid cases – leading to more than 20,000 staff absences – and the current heatwave is inevitably having an impact on NHS capacity.
‘It, however, remains vital that the public continue to dial 999 in an emergency and use 111 online, or their local pharmacy for other health issues and advice.’