The health service said people need to be careful over the next 24 hours ‘particularly those over 65, babies and young children under 5’
The NHS today issued a new alert saying people are in danger until 9am on Sunday, when a key weather warning comes to an end. A fourth heatwave is expected to hit the UK as wildfires tear through parts of the country.
Homes were evacuated as a blaze swept through the Cairngorms National Park in what Police Scotland declared as a major incident, and emergency crews continued to tackle wildfires in Wales.
In a new post on X the NHS said: ”A yellow heat-health alert is in place across parts of England until 9am on Sunday. Hot weather can put some people’s health at risk – particularly those over 65, babies and young children under 5.”
Official advice says: “Many of us welcome hot weather, but when it’s too hot, there are health risks. During heatwaves, more people than usual get seriously ill or die. When hot weather hits, make sure it does not harm you or anyone you know.”
North Wales and the Upper Severn became the first part of the UK to declare drought status on Thursday, and parts of Exeter, Devon and Usk in Wales met their heatwave thresholds for 20 consecutive days.
No rain has fallen in July in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and West Sussex, and 16 counties have recorded 0.1mm, which “might just be a bit of dew on the grass”, said the Met Office’s senior operational meteorologist Marco Petagna.
The UK has had 20% of its average July rainfall, which takes into account the wetter areas. It is “very, very unusual” for a hot and dry spell to last this long, Mr Petagna added.
The dry conditions follow last year’s drought summer, as the UK faces more extreme weather fuelled by human-caused climate change, mostly from burning fossil fuels. Heat alerts are in place across parts of England with officials warning that temperatures are likely to impact on health and wellbeing.
Yellow alerts for the East Midlands, East of England, London, South East, South West and West Midlands are in place until 9am on Sunday. Cooler and fresher weather is expected widely on Sunday, ending the longest running heatwaves with highs of 25C and 26C possible in the South East and high teens and low 20s more widely elsewhere.
But the heat will climb again at start of the week, with Monday’s high forecast at 27C in the South East, just below the area’s heatwave threshold of 28C.
Heatwave thresholds will start to be topped the following day, with highs of more than 30C expected until Thursday in the South East. Next week’s heatwave may not be the last of the summer, the Met Office’s long range forecast suggests.
“(The weather) is a bit more changeable in the short term, but as we head more into August there are hints that conditions will settle down and become drier again”, Mr Petagna said.
Wildfires continue to burn across the Rhinogydd mountains, North Wales, and Blaenavon, South Wales, with the latter affecting 220 hectares. The past days have also seen blazes on healthland on the Isle of Wight, woodland in the New Forest and fields in Tadley, Hampshire.
Massive forest fires have forced the evacuation of 200,000 people in south-western France and central Spain as flames raged out of control. Firefighters in Spain admitted the fires were so fast and violent that they could not be tackled head-on.
Why is a heatwave a problem?
The main risks posed by a heatwave are:
A heatwave can affect anyone, but some people are more vulnerable, including:
- older people, especially those aged 65 and over
- babies and young children aged 5 years and under
- people who are pregnant or have serious long-term conditions – such as heart problems, breathing problems, dementia, diabetes, kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease, mobility problems, mental health problems, or drug or alcohol addiction
- people who live alone and may be unable to care for themselves
- people who are on multiple medicines or medicines that may make them more likely to be badly affected by hot weather
- people who are already ill and dehydrated (from diarrhoea and vomiting, for example)
- people who are homeless, or who work or spend a lot of time outside, particularly if they’re physically active, such as runners, cyclists and walkers
- people whose jobs involve manual labour
The NHS adds: “Keep out of the heat if you can. If you have to go outside, stay in the shade especially between 11am and 3pm, wear sunscreen, a hat and light clothes, and avoid exercise or activity that makes you hotter.
“Cool yourself down. Have cold food and regular cold drinks. Drink extra fluids but avoid alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks, and have a cool shower or put cool water on your skin or clothes.
“Keep your living space cool. Close windows, curtains and blinds during the day and open them at night when the temperature outside has gone down. Electric fans can help if the temperature is below 35 degrees.
“Check the temperature of rooms, especially where people at higher risk live and sleep, and make sure to check on anyone who is at higher risk from the heat. For more information, visit GOV.UK: Heat”
