Britain braces for fifth heat wave as temperatures near August record

London,UPDATED: Aug 13, 2026 10:18 IST

Large parts of western Europe are set to face another spell of intense heat on Thursday, with Britain bracing for its fifth heat wave of what is expected to be its hottest summer on record. Forecasters have said temperatures in central and south-east England could climb to 38 degrees Celsius, close to the August record of 38.5 degrees Celsius set in 2003.

The heat is adding to pressure across the country, from hospitals and water supplies to wildfire control. The Met Office said earlier this week that only average conditions through the rest of August would be enough for this year to overtake last year as the hottest on record.

For Britain, which is largely not equipped to cope with such high temperatures, the past few weeks have been especially difficult. The strain has been felt sharply in hospitals, where the Royal College of Nursing said some nurses had collapsed from heat exhaustion. "When nursing staff are collapsing, feeling dizzy, sick or even being admitted to the very hospitals they work in because their workplaces cannot handle the heat, it shows just how badly they are being failed," said RCN chief executive and general secretary Professor Nicola Ranger.

Most of the country is now officially in drought, increasing pressure on water resources for households, farming and the environment. Southern Water, which manages supplies in the south of England, has applied for a rare drought order that would stop businesses from using water for non-essential purposes such as car cleaning and filling non-domestic swimming pools. The company said an "exceptional" lack of rain had put supplies in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight at risk. Environment Secretary Angela Eagle will decide on the application, which would be the first such ban since May 2006.

At the same time, wildfires have continued to burn, especially this week in the New Forest in southern England. According to the Fire Chiefs Council, 1,017 wildfires have been recorded in England and Wales this year, matching last year's record total. While the fires have not reached the scale seen in France, Greece and Spain, they have underlined the pressure created by the extreme heat. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he will consider a ban on disposable barbecues because of the risk of more wildfires. "I do believe we need to get the message out loud and clear," he said. "People should not be using those barbecues outside at this moment in time."

With another major heat wave approaching, Britain is dealing with rising temperatures, drought conditions, pressure on essential services and a growing wildfire threat, as authorities warn that the exceptional summer is far from over.

With PTI Inputs

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