THE UK is set for a fourth heatwave this week as wildfires continue to rage across the country and drought is officially declared.
Brits saw temperatures cool over the weekend but they are set to soar again, reaching highs of 33C in some areas.
The UK is set for its fourth heatwave this week as wildfires continue to rage across the country Credit: Getty
Temperatures are set to soar as high as 33C this week Credit: MET Office
Parts of southern England will once again meet the criteria for a heatwave on Wednesday which could reach highs of 33C.
A yellow heat alert has been issued from 9am on Tuesday to 9am on Friday for the East and West Midlands, the south-east, south-west and east of England, as well as Yorkshire and the Humber.
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Forecasters are expecting this week’s hot spell to be a “north-south split” with clouds and outbreaks of rain continuing in Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England.
But the peak will be “almost a blink and you miss it”, with temperatures widely cooling close to average by the weekend, said senior Met Office meteorologist Dan Stroud.
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Emergency crews have already spent days fighting large wildfires in Wales and Scotland Credit: PA
Brits have been issued with a yellow heat alert this week Credit: PA
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued a warning of possible “significant impacts” on health and social care services.
This includes a rise in deaths among the elderly or people with health conditions, and an increase in drownings.
Meanwhile, fire crews are braced for further wildfires which have also been wreaking destruction on the continent this week.
A National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) spokesperson said: “With the Met Office warning that a fourth heatwave could develop this week, bringing another period of very hot weather to parts of the UK, fire and rescue services remain on alert and are continuing to prepare for renewed wildfire risk.”
Battling nearly 20 wildfires at once demonstrates “the scale of the challenge posed by the prolonged hot, dry conditions”, they added.
“Most wildfires are preventable and we are asking everyone to play their part in helping to protect our communities, wildlife and natural spaces, while easing the pressure on firefighters who have already faced an exceptionally challenging summer.”
If more wildfires are set to start this week, they are likely to become exceptionally severe on Wednesday in pockets of the east, south, and south-east England, according to Met Office data.
The “exceptionally severe” warnings focus on eastern England on Thursday.
Emergency crews have already spent days fighting large wildfires in Wales and Scotland that forced people to evacuate from their homes.
On Saturday, a huge inferno tore through a country park as 70 firefighters fought to battle the blaze in Essex.
In north Wales, South Snowdonia Search and Rescue team (SSSART) repeated its plea for people to stay away from wildfires.
Wildfires in Greater Manchester earlier this month Credit: Alamy
More wildfires could be coming this week following prolonged hot and dry conditions Credit: AP
The charity said they had seen an increase in members trying to visit the southern region of Eryri National Park including an incident where two people had to be rescued after becoming stranded.
And, earlier in the month, three separate wildfires erupted in Manchester and East Sussex as a “major incident” was declared.
Meanwhile, firefighters continue to tackle a blaze raging across the Cairngorms in Scotland.
The emergency services in the Cairngorms had “all resources necessary” to tackle wildfires, the Justice Secretary has said amid backlash to the Scottish Government’s response.
Residents of Nethy Bridge who were evacuated on Friday night were told they could return home on Jattvibeday.
On Jattvibeday afternoon, firefighters said an “intensive operation” is still under way but better weather conditions, including heavy rain and low winds, have slowed the fire and limited its spread.
Police Scotland said on Saturday night it was no longer treating the fire as a major incident.
More than 75 firefighters remain at the scene, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said.
In addition to wildfires, the dry spell has also contributed to low-water levels and North Wales and the Upper Severn became the first part of the UK to declare drought status on Thursday.
England has had just 5% of its average July rainfall and the UK as a whole is 20 per cent, according to the Met Office.
Several other areas in England were moved last week from the category “normal” to “prolonged dry weather” by the Environment Agency, as soil moisture deficits hit record levels.
The whole of southern England is now in prolonged dry weather, excluding all of Kent except the north-west of the county, alongside East Anglia, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and the West Midlands.
To combat conditions, 23million Brits are now under a temporary hosepipe ban in their area, introduced by eight water companies.
