Burnham To Lead Emergency Meeting As UK Temperatures Rise

Andy Burnham will chair a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee as the UK braces itself for another day of soaring temperatures which have led to widespread wildfires and plunged much of the country into drought.

The prime minister will meet with ministers, officials and agencies on Wednesday afternoon, with temperatures of 33 degrees celsius forecast in parts of England in the fifth heatwave of the summer.

It comes as a firefighter union chief warned the country faces a “national emergency” amid ongoing wildfires.

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.”

The Met Office said the UK is on course for its hottest summer on record, as parts of the country face their fifth heatwave this summer.

Rare amber “extreme heat” warnings have been issued by the forecaster for London and parts of the South East, East Midlands, East of England, West Midlands and South Yorkshire from 9am to midnight on Thursday.

The government 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.

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.

Steve Wright, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said: “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.”

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