Brits to bask in 38C highs tomorrow in 5th UK heatwave – as Burnham calls first Cobra meeting amid extreme heat warning

BRITS are expected to bask in 38C heat tomorrow during the UK’s fifth heatwave of the summer. Andy Burnham will chair his first Cobra meeting in response to the extreme heat, which has caused widespread wildfires and plunged many parts of the country into drought. Temperatures could reach 38C tomorrow Credit: BNPS Andy Burnham will chair his first Cobra meeting today Credit: AP The Prime Minister will meet with ministers, officials, and agencies today as temperatures continue to rise, with the Met Office issuing rare amber “extreme heat” warnings for tomorrow. Today, Brits are expected to enjoy dry and sunny weather – perfect conditions for the total eclipse this evening. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! In the northwest there will be some isolated outbreaks of rain and partly cloudy, but generally warm temperatures. Thursday could see temperatures rise to a balmy 38C with very hot conditions expected across much of England and Wales and potentially some evening showers in the northeast. There’s an amber extreme heat warning across parts of the UK Credit: Met Office Much of the country has been plunged into drought Credit: PA Rare amber “extreme heat” warnings are in place for London and parts of the South East, East Midlands, East of England, West Midlands and South Yorkshire from 9am to midnight on Thursday. Met Office chief forecaster Chris Bulmer said: “While the peak heat will be more short-lived than recent heatwaves, temperatures widely into the mid-30s Celsius on Thursday brings the potential for impacts for some, which is why a Met Office warning has been issued. “High pressure is now becoming dominant and temperatures will build day by day. “Southerly and south-easterly winds will also tap into the hot conditions over Europe which helps develop this further notable heat in what has been a hot and dry summer so far for many in the south of the UK.” Most read in The Sun Temperatures could reach 33C today Credit: Alamy Steve Wright, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, warned the UK faces a national emergency Credit: Alamy The Government has urged the public to pay attention to UK Health Security Agency heat health alerts, and advised people should drink plenty of fluids and check in on family, friends and neighbours who may be at high risk. Nearly three quarters of England and the whole of Wales are in drought, after a record dry July and very dry start to August has combined with high temperatures to put pressure on water resources. Southern Water has applied for a rare non-domestic drought order which would ban businesses from non-essential water use, including cleaning cars and filling swimming pools, saying an “exceptional” lack of rain has threatened supplies in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. It warned that 165,000 people in the Southampton West supply area could face restricted supplies, with Environment Secretary Angela Eagle to decide on the application, which would be the first such ban since May 2006. These hot conditions have led to the second Cobra meeting this year on heatwaves, after one took place amid high temperatures in June. Ministers from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Home Office, and Department for Health will attend, and the Environment Agency will also be present. A No.10 spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister will chair a meeting of COBR – the government emergency committee – this afternoon on the UK’s ongoing response to extreme heat, wildfires and drought. “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.” This comes as Steve Wright, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), warned the UK faces a national emergency “right now” with fires across the country. Firefighters have responded to 966 wildfires across England and Wales this year, including 185 in the first 10 days of August alone, while July was the busiest month on record for wildfires with 458 incidents, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said. Steve told Times Radio: “In many parts of the country, firefighters do not have the new modern equipment to deal with these. “They do not have the new modern personal protective equipment, the lightweight fire kit that we wear, the right helmets, lightweight helmets, breathable uniforms to make sure they’re better protected, their health is protected when they’re out dealing with these incidents for hours and hours on end.” The Government said it had announced £97 million in new funding to upgrade national firefighting capabilities, including off-road vehicles and specialist equipment. Comment now