UK extreme heat prompts Cobra emergency meeting

A waterbombing helicopter fighting a fire at the Holme Fen nature reserve in Peterborough, England. The PM Andy Burnham will chair a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee on Wednesday. Photograph: Ryan Jenkinson/ View image in fullscreen A waterbombing helicopter fighting a fire at the Holme Fen nature reserve in Peterborough, England. The PM Andy Burnham will chair a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee on Wednesday. Photograph: Ryan Jenkinson/ UK extreme heat prompts Cobra emergency meeting High temperatures continue with forecasts reaching 38C on Thursday and wildfires stretching emergency services The prime minister will chair a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee on Wednesday in response to extreme heat, which has caused wildfires and plunged many parts of Britain into drought. Andy Burnham will meet with ministers, officials and agencies as high temperatures continue across the UK on Wednesday afternoon, with temperatures of 33C forecast, and up to 38C on Thursday. It will be the second Cobra meeting this year on heatwaves, after one took place amid high temperatures in June. Ministers from Defra, the home office, the health department and officials from the Environment Agency will be present. A Downing Street spokesperson said the government understood firefighters, farmers and NHS staff were all facing challenges connected to the weather. ‘Real struggle’ to tame New Forest blaze as UK set for hottest summer on record The Met Office has 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 -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 alerts and advised people to drink plenty of fluids and check in on family, friends and neighbours who may be at high risk. 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.” On Tuesday, Steve Wright, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), warned the country faces a “national emergency” because of the wildfires. 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 said.