BRITAIN is expected to enjoy a fourth heatwave this week with the country basking in sunshine.

Temperatures are expected to rise to up to 33C by mid week after a brief lull of higher winds and cooler weather over this weekend.

A fourth UK heatwave risks fires in the UK Credit: Alamy Live News.

Exeter has already enjoyed a 21 day heatwave Credit: Ian Whittaker – News Group Newspapers Ltd

Met Office chiefs said pars of southern England will enjoy highs of 32C or 33C by Wednesday with the rest of the country expected to follow by Thursday.

Whilst the whole country is set to enjoy high temperatures, forecasters are expecting the heat to be a “north-south split” with clouds and some rain in Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England.

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And this will once again meet heatwave criteria for the fourth time this summer – which is when the temperature threshold is breached for at least three consecutive days.

But the peak will be “almost a blink and you miss it”, with temperatures widely cooling close to average by the weekend, said Met Office senior operational meteorologist Dan Stroud.

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The peak of the temperatures will be a short blip Credit: Alamy Live News.

Southern England has had only 1% of its average July rainfall Credit: Ian Whittaker – News Group Newspapers Ltd

But forecasters have warned of the risk of fire in the south of England.

July was 3C above average across the UK, according to provisional Met Office data.

Southern England has had just 1% of its average July rainfall.

England has had 5% and the UK as a whole 20%, according to the Met Office.

Mr Stroud said: “In terms of wildfire, obviously the continuation of the dry and hot conditions does elevate the fire risk.

“That rain we’ve had, even though it’s welcome rain for the last last few hours, is certainly not enough really to do a huge amount for the dry conditions we’ve already already got.

“That risk continues.”

Emergency crews have already spent days fighting large wildfires in Wales and Scotland that forced people to evacuate their homes.

Mr Stroud emphasised that the Fire Severity Index measures humidity and drier weather increases the fire risk.

The second heatwave was particularly humid and that “does reduce the risk somewhat”.

The latest heatwave has been drier and longer-lasting and humidity levels are expected to fall as the fourth heatwave arrives.