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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Nadeem Badshah, Geneva Abdul, Rachel Hall, Jamie Grierson and Fran Lawther

Temperature passes 40C for first time; London fire brigade warns of ‘huge surge in fires’ – as it happened

United Kingdom Grant Shapps Boris Johnson Cobra London King Cross (Organization)

A summary of today's developments

  • Met Office data showed that the UK had its first ever day of temperatures over 40C, with 40.3C recorded in Lincolnshire. This followed the hottest ever night recorded, with temperatures failing to dip below 25C in some parts, but relief should arrive shortly in the shape of thunderstorms on Wednesday, the forecaster said.
  • Scotland recorded its highest ever temperature, reaching 34.8C in Charterhall in the Scottish Borders, according to provisional Met Office figures. It exceeded the previous record of 32.9C recorded in Greycrook on 9 August 2003.
  • At least 13 people have died going into open water during the heatwave period, of which at least four were under the age of 17. Water safety organisations are concerned the toll may climb as schools break for summer holidays.
  • The London fire brigade declared a major incident in response to a huge surge in fires across the capital. Firefighters described blazes tearing through homes and buildings in London as “absolute hell” with residents evacuated and people taken to hospital. Residents were evacuated from their homes in the village of Wennington, east London, while flames destroyed buildings and ravaged nearby fields. Two people were also taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation following a fire in Dagenham.
  • Greater Manchester police are appealing for information about fires suspected to have been started deliberately on the moorland behind Dovestones reservoir.
  • UK transport secretary says Britain must ‘drive up’ railway standards. Grant Shapps said the Victorian-era infrastructure “wasn’t built to withstand this type of temperature”. He added these events will occur more frequently, and it will take decades to upgrade existing lines to be more resilient.
  • London’s ambulance service is experiencing a sustained demand for 999 and 111 services. The service said it was answering 400 calls an hour as it sees “an increase in the number of patients experiencing heat exposure”.

Updated

After a major incident was declared in South Yorkshire, Doncaster Council said in a statement: “There have been a number of fires in Doncaster today due to the extremely high temperatures.

“Some of these are ongoing and we are continuing to work with agencies across the borough and also colleagues across South Yorkshire to respond to and manage these incidents”

The council said power cuts have also caused problems in the region.

It said: “There have also been a number of power outages, which are being caused by the high temperatures today too. Northern Powergrid are working hard to restore the power, and most properties are now back online.

“We are working with colleagues across the council to ensure any vulnerable people affected are able to access the support they need.”

A major incident has been declared in South Yorkshire after firefighters were called to multiple fires, including a number involving blazes spreading to houses.

The most serious blaze on Tuesday afternoon was in Barnsley when a row of houses in the Moorland Avenue area was consumed by flames.

Barnsley councillor Kevin Osborne said on Twitter he thought six houses had been involved in the incident as he posted dramatic footage of one home being devastated by the blaze.

Local residents launched a crowdfunding page to help those involved, saying on JustGiving: “They’ve managed to contain the fire but the houses are completely destroyed. People have been left with nothing.

“Let’s show them the Barnsley community spirit and raise them a bit of much needed cash, whether it be short-term accommodation or to help them rebuild. Thanks for your support.”

Updated

Residents in Northamptonshire have been urged by police to stop releasing floating lanterns due to the fire risk.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue has stood down a major incident in the region when demand for the fire service reached overwhelming levels this afternoon due to the heatwave.

The home secretary, Priti Patel, said she had been updated on the national fire situation.

“With dangerous fires burning across the country, I continue to urge the public to follow all safety advice from their local fire service, and stay safe,” she added.

“I pay tribute to the professionalism and skill of our fire services, who are working in difficult conditions to protect lives and communities.

“Please continue to follow all advice from your local emergency services.”

Updated

The heavens are beginning to open across the country, and the Met Office has just released its forecast for tomorrow – cloudy with outbreaks of rain. It will be warm, but it goes without saying that there will be a big drop-off in temperature compared with today’s unprecedented heat.

Updated

The Metropolitan police has released an update on the fires that have been burning across London, saying some are “over widespread areas and will require an ongoing presence through the night”.

Praising the London fire brigade for “working incredibly hard … in the most challenging conditions”, the Met said: “Officers will also be patrolling open spaces in the coming hours to ensure that Londoners are following the LFB advice to keep us all safe.

“This includes: Do not have a barbecue or bonfire tonight. Do not leave broken bottles or glass on the ground. Dispose of cigarettes safely.”

Updated

The Premier Inn in Wennington, east London, lost power for about an hour, with a fire official telling the PA news agency the blaze might have hit the main power line.

Residents at the Premier Inn were later advised to find alternative accommodation for the evening, while a rest centre has been set up at Hornchurch sports centre, where air mattresses have been provided.

Andrew Blake-Herbert, Havering council’s chief executive, said: “We need people to avoid the Wennington area if at all possible and need local people to keep doors and windows closed to protect from smoke and ash.”

Updated

The London fire brigade has said the fire in Wembley is now under control.

Updated

Dave Swallow, of Hereford and Worcestershire fire brigade, is part of a group of nearly 50 wildfire tactical advisers spread out across the UK.

He said: “We can be requested when needed to provide advice and support either remotely or on the ground.

“We’ve been aware that today and yesterday particularly could be potentially very difficult days, so there’s a lot of background work that goes into that to make sure we are fully briefed on things like the wind direction and what the humidity is going to be like.

“They greatly affect fire spread and how it’s going to develop as well.”

Updated

Experts have warned that heatwaves can affect mood and mental health, urging people to practice self-compassion and take care with medications.

“Extremely hot temperatures can affect our mood,” said Stephen Buckley, the head of information at the mental health charity Mind. “For example, you may be struggling with sleeping difficulties at the moment or finding it challenging to build physical activity or exercise into your day – both of which can affect our mental health.”

Buckley added that heatwaves may also make people more anxious about the climate emergency.

“Concerns about the climate can have a big impact on our wellbeing, so try to be kind to yourself if you’re finding things difficult. If possible, adjust your daily routine to prioritise your mental and physical health, and remember it’s OK not to be as productive as usual,” he added, noting that where reasonable, employers should offer flexibility around working hours, responsibilities, and place of work.

Buckley said it was also important to consider the interaction between heat and medications.

“Some psychiatric medications, including some antipsychotics, and in rare cases some antidepressants, may increase our sensitivity to sunlight,” he said.

“This can also happen if you take St John’s wort. Some antidepressants can cause us to sweat more or to experience muscle weakness, so it’s important to take extra care to protect ourselves and stay hydrated in this hot and sunny weather.”

Updated

At least 34 sites today exceeded the UK’s previous national record of 38.7C (101.6F), the Met Office has said.

Updated

Janet Hickey, from Wennington, who has terminal pancreatic cancer, said she was forced to leave all her cancer drugs behind as people were evacuated.

“I’ve got all my cancer drugs in the fridge,” said Hickey, 70.

Her husband, Patrick Hickey, 71, said: “We had to leave everything. We’re hoping against hope that our house is still there.”

Janet Hickey said they felt “devastated”: “We’ve been living there 50 years. I’m terminally ill so it’s not great to lose all that. I’m also an artist and all my paintings are there.”

Updated

A rescue centre has been set up at the Wennington Premier Inn for residents who have been evacuated.

Riminta Maceikaite, 38, and her son Nikas Janulevicius, 13, said their neighbours’ homes had burned down but as far as they could see from aerial shots on TV, their house was still standing.

Maceikaite said they were “very anxious” about their home, adding: “When you look on a camera, when it shows you from the sky, it just freaks you out.”

Nikas said: “Our house is on the news and it’s the only house that hasn’t been burned so far.

“Asked if they had seen or spoken to other residents, he said: ‘I saw my neighbour – he was OK; he was helping to put out the fires.’”

The pair have been trying to find their pet dog and cat after fleeing their home.

Updated

A group of people were standing by a roundabout off the A13 with horses on leads as the fire in Wennington spread.

Lizzie Pittman, from Aveley in Essex, who works at some stables by the roundabout, said she was looking after five horses who had been removed from their stables in Wennington, which had burnt down.

She told the PA news agency: “This is your worst nightmare. You can see it getting closer and closer. People are losing their houses but that’s bricks and mortar. People are losing their livestock.”

Local residents could also be heard talking to firefighters about removing other livestock from the path of the fire, with one man directing a horse trailer to pick up some pigs.

Few stereotypes irk Spaniards quite as much as the ridiculous anglosajón idea that the country takes to its collective couch every afternoon for a three-hour siesta.

Unlike the UK, however, Spain does pride itself on knowing how to cope with the heat, especially in Madrid and farther south. People know when to walk in the shade, when to keep the persianas (roller shutters) down, and when to raise and lower the toldos (awnings) to keep the sun’s rays from boring into flats and houses.

They also know that the long lunch break, between 2pm and 5pm, was originally intended to spare agricultural workers the worst of the furnace heat of July and August, and that an alfresco dinner is a far more pleasant proposition at 10pm or 11pm than at 6pm or 7pm.

Updated

The London fire brigade is continuing to bring the flames in Wellington, east London, under control.

Updated

Nine of the UK’s 12 hottest days on record since 1884 have occurred within the last two decades.

Tuesday’s provisional record high at Coningsby in Lincolnshire of 40.3C means that four of the top five hottest days have taken place between 2019 and 2022.

Only one of the top 12 hottest days took place before 1990.

Here is a list of the top 12 hottest UK days on record according to the Met Office.

1. 19 July 2022, Coningsby in Lincolnshire: 40.3C (provisional)
2. 25 July 2019, Cambridge Botanic Gardens: 38.7C
3. 10 August 2003, Faversham in Kent: 38.5C
4. 18 July 2022, Santon Downham in Suffolk: 38.1C
5. 31 July 2020, Heathrow Airport in London: 37.8C
6. 3 August 1990, Cheltenham in Gloucestershire: 37.1C
7. 1 July 2015, Heathrow Airport in London: 36.7C
8. 9 August 1911, Raunds in Northamptonshire: 36.7C
9. 2 August 1990, Worcester in Worcestershire: 36.6C
10. 19 July 2006, Wisley in Surrey: 36.5C
=11. 7 August 2020, Kew Gardens & Heathrow Airport in London: 36.4C
=11. 6 August 2003, Gravesend in Kent, 36.4C

Updated

Ed Miliband, Labour’s shadow secretary of state for climate change, said that extreme hot weather like this will become the “new normal” under climate change.

He also warned that the Conservative government has failed to prepare the UK for this type of weather.

“Reports of fires across the country are deeply distressing. We must do everything we can to support the families and communities affected. I urge everyone to stay safe and salute the courage of our fire services,” he said.

“The frightening truth is that in time we will come to see today not as the hottest summer ever but the new normal. Britain is in no way prepared for this new reality because of years of neglect by this government.

“And while Britain boils, the Conservative leadership candidates engage in fantasy climate denial that will lead to higher energy bills, damage our security, and leaves the burden of extreme weather events to future generations. Britain needs a fresh start.

“Labour will put tackling the climate emergency at the centre of our offer to the British people, in order to create millions of good jobs in the UK’s industrial heartlands, bring down energy bills with home-grown clean power, and protect our children and grandchildren.”

Updated

A fire ripped through a coastal park at Wild Ken Hill in Norfolk with wildlife feared to have died.

Updated

Firefighters have described blazes tearing through homes and buildings in London as “absolute hell” with residents evacuated, people taken to hospital and a major incident declared.

Residents were evacuated from their homes in the village of Wennington, east London, on Tuesday afternoon, where black smoke billowed into the air, while flames destroyed buildings and ravaged nearby fields.

A firefighter at the scene, asked by the PA news agency what conditions were like, replied: “absolute hell”.

Two people were also taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation following a fire in Dagenham.

Jonathan Smith, assistant commissioner at London Fire Brigade, told Sky News many of the fires are spread over wide areas and began because the ground is “tinderbox dry”.

Updated

Network Rail has said it has about an extra 9km of track due to expansion in the unprecendented temperatures.

Updated

Greater Manchester Police is appealing for information about fires suspected to have been started deliberately.

Superintendent Phil Hutchinson, of GMP’s Oldham district, said in recent days there have been a number of fires on the moorland behind at Dovestones Reservoir.

He added: “Following extensive enquiries by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and officers from GMP Oldham’s CID, it is believed that at least four of these fires have been started deliberately.

“First and foremost, I would like to publicly reassure members of the public and warn offenders that we are following every line of enquiry to identify those responsible and being them to face justice.

“This is being treated as arson which, following conviction, can result in a lengthy prison sentence.

“Though extensive enquiries are ongoing in partnership with other agencies, I would like to use this opportunity to appeal to members of the public for information – particularly anyone who has seen anything suspicious or has mobile phone, dash or helmet cam footage which may assist us.

“In the coming days and week, particularly during the heatwave, members of the public who frequent at Dovestones are asked to report anyone they suspect of igniting any kind of flame in the area.”

Updated

The day so far

It’s been a busy day of record-breaking temperatures, fires, travel chaos and warnings from climate scientists that this is only the beginning of several decades of extreme temperatures, even if we keep reducing emissions.

Here are the day’s main events:

  • Met Office data showed that the UK had its first ever day of temperatures over 40C, with Heathrow recording 40.2C at 12.50pm. This followed the hottest ever night recorded, with temperatures failing to dip below 25C in some parts, but relief should arrive shortly in the shape of thunderstorms on Wednesday, the forecaster said.
  • Scotland has recorded its highest ever temperature, reaching 34.8C in Charterhall in the Scottish Borders, according to provisional Met Office figures. It exceeded the previous record of 32.9C recorded in Greycrook on 9 August 2003.
  • The London fire brigade declared a major incident in response to a huge surge in fires across the capital.
  • At least 13 people have died going into open water throughout heatwave period, of which at least four people were under the age of 17. Water safety organisations are concerned the toll may climb as schools break for summer holidays.
  • UK transport secretary says Britain must ‘drive up’ railway standards. Grant Schapps said the Victorian-era infrastructure “wasn’t built to withstand this type of temperature”. He added these events will occur more frequently, and it will take decades to upgrade existing lines to be more resilient.
  • London’s Ambulance Service is experiencing a sustained demand to 999 and 111 services. The service said it was answering 400 calls an hour as it sees “an increase in the number of patients experiencing heat exposure”.

I’m handing over to my colleague Nadeem Badshah who’ll keep you updated for the evening. Thanks for following today.

Thousands of people in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the North East have been left without power after equipment overheated in some of the hottest temperatures in the UK.

About 14,500 homes and businesses lost power on Monday night, due to overheating transformers and sagging conductors, and many have still not had power restored.

Coningsby in Lincolnshire recorded the joint highest temperature today with Heathrow Airport, both topping 40.2C at 3pm, a UK record.

Andy Bilclough, Northern Powergrid’s director of field operations, said: “We worked last night and into the early hours of today to restore power after yesterday’s extreme temperatures caused conductors to sag and transformers to overheat which meant a higher than usual number of faults on our network. Our teams continued work this morning to restore power to the small number of homes who were still impacted, and our contact centre are offering advice and support to those who need it most.

“We’re encouraging our customers to use our online services to report power cuts and stay updated. It’s the quickest way to let us know the power is off, get the latest estimated restoration time and allows our contact centre advisors to speak to and support our vulnerable customers who need us most.

“It’s also extremely important that if anyone spots any damaged overhead power lines or other electrical equipment that they must not approach the area and should report it immediately by calling 105.”

Power cut tips and advice include:

  • bookmarking Northern Powergrid’s online power cut map and reporting service on their mobile devices –northernpowergrid.com/power-cuts
  • having a charged mobile phone with important numbers, including 105, easily accessible
  • turning off electrical appliances at the socket (this is particularly important for heating or cooking appliances as your power could be restored at any time and potentially cause a safety hazard)
  • keeping one light switched on so you know when power is restored
  • keeping a battery or wind-up torch handy – as they’re much safer than candles
  • checking on your elderly or sick neighbours and relatives and consider joining Northern Powergrid’s free Priority Services Membership if you might be more vulnerable in a power cut –northernpowergrid.com/care
  • ensuring you have some food and drink in your home that does not require electricity to heat or prepare it, and
  • only call 999 in an emergency.

London's ceremonial guards withdraw from positions

Heavily-dressed ceremonial guards stationed at the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace and Windsor Castle were withdrawn midday Tuesday following extreme temperatures, PA reports.

The Ministry of Defence said they remained on duty in the Royal Guardrooms to support police if required.

An Army spokesman said:

The wellbeing of our soldiers is a priority at all times and we have put in place additional measures this week such as regular checks, flexible duties and additional water to ensure they can continue to safely carry out their duties.

Updated

The Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue service is dealing with two major fires in Walnut Tree in Milton Keynes and Whitehouse Lane in Wooburn More.

Updated

At least 13 people have died going into open water throughout heatwave period

At least four people under the age of 17 have died in open water since Saturday, with water safety organisations concerned the toll may climb as schools break for summer holidays.

Matt Croxall, senior head of membership and field operations at the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) UK, said:

We’d encourage people to enter the water gradually, particularly whilst we’re in a heatwave right now. That difference between the air temperature and diving into very cold water can cause people a real problem and can cause that cold water shock response.

Smoke billows from Dartford marshes in Kent after wildfires broke out caused by extreme temperatures. Europe has been enduring a heatwave for the past two days, with temperatures in the UK reaching 40C – the highest ever recorded.

Here’s drone footage showing the Dartford marshes torched by wildfires:

Scotland reaches hottest ever temperature as 34.8C recorded

Scotland has recorded its highest ever temperature, reaching 34.8C in Charterhall in the Scottish Borders, according to provisional Met Office figures.

It exceeded the previous record of 32.9C recorded in Greycrook on 9 August 2003.

Updated

Scotland braces for record high temperatures

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for extreme heat in eastern, southern and central parts of Scotland. The weather warning is in force until midnight on Tuesday, PA reports.

The highest temperature ever recorded in Scotland was 32.9C in August 2003 at Greycrook.

As of 3pm Tuesday, the hottest place north of the border was Eskdalemuir in Dumfries and Galloway at 32.3C, according to the Met Office.

Updated

London’s Ambulance Service is experiencing a sustained demand to 999 and 111 services as it sees “an increase in the number of patients experiencing heat exposure”.

The service said it was answering 400 calls an hour as a result of the heatwave.

Here’s a list of heat exhaustion symptoms to be on the lookout for:

Updated

The London Fire Brigade has put out a fire in a shop with flats overhead in Eltham, south-east London, on Tuesday afternoon.

“The ground floor was damaged. Fortunately, no one was injured,” they wrote on Twitter.

Updated

A teenage boy's body has been recovered from the River Thames

A teenage boy’s body was recovered from the River Thames in Richmond, west London, on Tuesday afternoon, PA reports.

Metropolitan police believe the body to be that of a teenage boy last seen entering the water Monday afternoon.

“His next of kin are aware and are being supported by specialist officers. Officers will assist with preparing a report for the coroner,” a police statement said.

Updated

UK transport secretary says Britain must 'drive up' railway standards

As passengers face railway disruptions amid record-breaking heat, the UK transport secretary, Grant Shapps, has said Britain must “keep ramping up the specification” of its railways to cope with extreme temperatures, reports PA.

The Victorian-era infrastructure “wasn’t built to withstand this type of temperature”, Shapps said, adding these events will occur more frequently, and it will take decades to upgrade existing lines to be more resilient.

The hottest railway track reached 62C on Monday.

Network Rail said temperatures on rails can rise to 20C higher than air temperature, sometimes causing them to “expand, bend and break”.

Shapps said:

Because the spec (specification) has been minus 10 degrees to plus 35 degrees - and we’re now suffering 40 degrees plus - clearly we need to keep ramping up the specification. But as new lines go in, as new overhead cables go in, all of that is now spec’d at a higher level than it would have been when those electric cables originally went in. We need to drive up the standards. We’re going to see these events more frequently, and as a result we need to be ready.

When asked how long it would take to upgrade existing rail infrastructure to become more resilient, Shapps told Sky News it would take “decades” to replace, along with road tarmac.

And when asked if the transport system can cope with the weather, Shapps said: “the simple answer at the moment is no.”

Updated

Climate scientists have expressed shock at the UK’s smashed temperature record, with the heat soaring above 40C for the first time ever on Tuesday.

Researchers are also increasingly concerned that extreme heatwaves in Europe are occurring more rapidly than models had suggested, indicating that the climate crisis on the continent may be even worse than feared.

Read more here:

The London fire brigade says 60 firefighters and eight fire engines are tackling a blaze in Wembley, where a video has shown clouds of black smoke billowing from behind a row of storefronts and flats.

The brigade said they have taken more than 40 calls to the fire.

Updated

Temperatures in various places across the UK have now risen past 40C. Here are the latest as of 3pm:

Coningsby 40.2C
Heathrow 40.2C
Kew Gardens 40.1C
Northolt 39.9C
Cambridge 39.9C
St James’s Park, London 39.9C

Updated

The day so far

It’s been a busy day of record-breaking temperatures, fires, travel chaos and warnings from climate scientists that this is only the beginning of several decades of extreme temperatures, even if we keep reducing emissions.

Here are the day’s main events:

  • Met Office data showed that the UK had its first ever day of temperatures over 40C, with Heathrow recording 40.2C at 12.50pm. This followed the hottest ever night recorded, with temperatures failing to dip below 25C in some parts, but relief should arrive shortly in the shape of thunderstorms on Wednesday, the forecaster said.
  • The London fire brigade declared a major incident in response to a huge surge in fires across the capital.
  • At the time of writing, a number of train cancellations have taken place, with all services out of London Euston and Birmingham New Street suspended.
  • Police confirmed that a man in his 20s died while swimming in a lake at Cotswold water park, prompting warnings that people should avoid swimming in open water that is not supervised.
  • The World Meterological Organization warned that heatwaves are already having a major impact on human health and nations’ economies, and that extreme temperatures will continue until at least the 2060s, even in the best possible emissions reduction scenarios. The WMO emphasied the need for countries to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.
  • Speaking to cabinet in front of TV cameras, Prime Minister Boris Johnson claimed that the heatwave vindicated the government’s decision to push for net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

I’m handing over to my colleague Geneva Abdul who’ll keep you updated for the rest of the afternoon. Thanks for following today.

Fire crews have battled hundreds of wildfires across the country as temperatures topping 40C transformed fields and grassland into a “tinderbox”.

PA Media reports:

One regional service said the number of open fires could have tripled this week, while the Met Office warned that most of England was at exceptional risk.

Some were forced to evacuate their homes, and the National Trust admitted it was on “tenterhooks” over the possibility of a large-scale blaze.

On Monday, Essex county fire and rescue service received three times its average number of calls, which a spokesperson said was driven by wildfire reports.

In neighbouring Hertfordshire, drone footage showed the smouldering remains of a 200-acre field after crews worked into the early hours to extinguish the blaze.

One blaze, at Lickey Hills Country Park near Birmingham, spread to around 50,000 sq metres and forced 15 people to flee their homes.

Its cause has not been formally established, but a post on the park’s Facebook page claimed it was sparked by a disposable barbecue.

West Midlands fire service received 717 incident calls on Monday - an increase of 280 in the space of a week.

Smoke drifted over the M25 as almost 200 firefighters and 30 fire engines tried to extinguish a corn field blaze in Upminster, east London.

Hereford & Worcester crews had 54 fires based around fields, undergrowth and woodland, which it said was a “much higher number” than normal.

Nottinghamshire fire and rescue service has seen a “significant increase” in grass fires over the last month, with numbers rising even further this week.

According to the Met Office, most of England is at “exceptional” risk of wildfires, aside from the south-west and patches of the north.

Updated

Trains between London Euston and Milton Keynes suspended

All trains between London Euston and Milton Keynes have been suspended as emergency services deal with a lineside fire.

PA Media reports:

The blaze was caused when 25,000-volt overhead electric cables came down in Harrow.

Network Rail said all services to and from London Euston are suspended until further notice.

James Dean, Network Rail’s West Coast South route director, said:

As predicted the extreme temperatures have impacted the overhead cables on the West Coast main line and all trains have had to be stopped at Harrow in north London.

Please follow our ‘do not travel’ message today as journeys are being severely impacted. Once the emergency services give us the go ahead we will work as fast as we can to restore the railway lines. We’re sorry to people impacted and we’re working as fast as we can to get things back up and running.

All trains have also been stopped at Birmingham New Street station after a power line fault. Network Rail said its rapid response team is dealing with a fault involving the overhead electric cables outside the station.

Updated

On the @LondonFire Twitter account, the London fire brigade is detailing all the fires taking place across the capital.

Recent posts from the past two hours include the blaze in Wennington, near Rainham, Essex, as well as a household fire and two grass fires in Croydon, a grass fire in Upminster, a restaurant fire in Southgate and another fire in Green Lanes.

One tweet reads:

We’ve called for an urgent ban of disposable barbecues in parks & public spaces as firefighters continue to feel the effects of unprecedented heatwave temperatures for a second day. It comes as we’ve attended more than 1,000 grass fires since June.

Updated

Following the London fire brigade’s declaration of a major incident in London, it has emerged that around 100 firefighters are tackling a huge blaze in east London.

PA Media reports:

Television footage showed thick black smoke billowing into the air, with buildings and fields on fire on Tuesday afternoon in the village of Wennington.

London fire brigade said 15 fire engines and about 100 firefighters were called to the scene just after 1pm.

It came as temperatures in the area hit around 40C.

At least one home appeared to be completely destroyed in the blaze, while smoke covered a wide area. Nearby fields were seen to be scorched.

The fire brigade said on Twitter: “We’ve got 15 fire engines and around 100 firefighters dealing with this blaze on The Green in Wennington.”

Updated

Major incident declared in London following surge in fires

The London fire brigade has declared a major incident in response to a huge surge in fires across the capital today, mayor of London Sadiq Khan has tweeted.

He writes: “This is critical. London Fire is under immense pressure. Please be safe.”

Khan added that he is in touch with the commissioner and will share further updates when these are available.

In a separate tweet, Khan outlines how to avoid fires, including avoiding barbecuing on grass or balconies, leaving broken bottles or glass on grass (it can start fires), disposing of cigarettes safely and reporting fires as soon as they are seen.

Updated

If you appreciated World Meteorological Organization general secretary Petteri Taalas’ tie earlier (pictured again below), which represents climate change, it’s based on a viral data visualisation produced in 2020.

Produced by climate scientist Professor Ed Hawkins at the University of Reading to start conversations about climate change, the piece is called Climate Stripes.

It uses a simple pattern of coloured stripes generated by the latest scientific data that represents the increase in temperatures since 1850, one stripe per year, with dark blues used for colder years, and dark reds for warmer years. This makes it easy to see how the earth is moving incrementally towards higher global temperatures and how this has accelerated rapidly in recent years.

Updated

Supermarkets have shared their sales figures for all the summer essentials: fans, ice cream, paddling pools and burgers.

Here are the key figures:

  • Waitrose has had its biggest week for ice creams, with sales up 36% year on year, while premium ice cream sales are up 45% year-on-year.
  • John Lewis’s sales of fans and air conditioning units are up 709% year on year.
  • Asda sold at least 4.5m sausages and 1.4m burgers last week, while charcoal sales increased by 400%.
  • Sales of ready-to-drink spirits in Asda were up 72% compared with an average week, while fan sales increased by 1,300%.
  • Asda reported paddling pool sales increased by 1,000% compared with the same time the previous week.
  • Morrisons said last week was its biggest week for ice cream sales in more than five years, while sales of bags of ice are up 50% year on year.

The heatwave sales bounce isn’t consistent across the food and drink retail industry, however. Hotel Chocolat chief executive Angus Thirlwell told the PA Media news agency that online chocolate deliveries are suspended.

Thirlwell said:

It’s not great weather for a chocolate maker. It’s typical to suspend chocolate deliveries within the online business when there’s excessive heat. There’s no point in sending them if they’re just going to melt.

According to the Met Office, the entire stock of a Liverpool chocolate factory melted during a hot spell in August 1990.

Updated

Britain must “keep ramping up the specification” of its railways to cope with extreme temperatures, transport secretary Grant Shapps said.

He told the PA Media news agency:

We probably have the most resilient rail network we’ve ever built, ever had.

But because the spec (specification) has been minus 10 degrees to plus 35 degrees – and we’re now suffering 40 degrees plus – clearly we need to keep ramping up the specification.

But as new lines go in, as new overhead cables go in, all of that is now spec’d at a higher level than it would have been when those electric cables originally went in.

We need to drive up the standards. We’re going to see these events more frequently, and as a result we need to be ready.

Updated

Environmental groups have responded to the record-breaking temperatures with warnings that the candidates for the Tory leadership must prioritise tackling the climate crisis.

Commentators have criticised the candidates for not taking strong enough stances on climate change so far, with the main hope said to lie in Liz Truss.
Mike Childs, head of science, policy and research at Friends of the Earth, said:

As communities across the UK face unprecedented temperatures, the government’s climate strategy was yesterday found to be unlawful and inadequate in the courts.

Candidates vying for Conservative party leadership cannot ignore the vital importance of curbing the climate and nature crises.

We need climate action that goes further, and faster, so that the next generation has a world left to inherit.

Greenpeace UK’s head of politics, Rebecca Newsom, said:

It’s clear to everyone that urgent action to cut emissions must be taken, but the four Tory candidates are staying conspicuously quiet on the matter.

This life-threatening heat is just a taster of what’s to come unless the next prime minister delivers the concrete policies that will transition the UK away from fossil fuels, cut bills, boost cheap renewables and green our homes.

Failure to do so won’t just lose the Conservatives votes at the next election – it will threaten the future of our society as we know it.

You can read about the Tory candidates’ climate change stances here:

Updated

A man in his 20s has died while swimming in a lake at Cotswold Water Park

A man in his 20s has died while swimming in a lake at Cotswold Water Park.

PA reports:

Police were called shortly after 6pm on Monday to a large lake in Ashton Keynes near Hoburne Cotswold Holiday Park and Whitefriars Sailing Club, in Wiltshire.
Firefighters and police officers attended the scene but the man was confirmed dead shortly after being pulled from the water.

His death is not being treated as suspicious.

The park, run by Planning Solutions, is an area of more than 40 square miles with 180 freshwater lakes.

A tweet posted by Cotswold Country Park on Monday, several hours before the incident, said:

In this heat, it is tempting to want to swim in the Cotswold Water Park lakes.

They may look inviting but many can be dangerous.

If you fancy a dip, please put your safety first and find a lake that is specifically managed for open water swimming.

Updated

The Met Office has posted a video showing how a line of showers is moving north and east on the latest radar sequence.

At the moment the rain is falling onto very dry air so very little of it is reaching the ground.

There’s been a lot of discussion in the press conference about how work dress codes should adapt to the changing weather patterns.

Asked for his views on heatwave appropriate clothing, WMO head Taalas said he personally opted to wear a tie which illustrated the way the global temperature has increased over the last 150 years.

“You can see that in the past we had a lot more blue, and today we have more red colour, which indicates the way heatwaves have become more frequent,” he said.

Here’s the tie – we don’t know where it’s from or if it’s bespoke, unfortunately.

Taalas sports a climate change-inspired tie.
Taalas sports a climate change-inspired tie. Photograph: World Meterological Organization

Updated

A swimmer is missing at sea and five others have been pulled from the water close to Clacton Pier in Essex, the Coastguard said.

PA Media reports:

Emergency services have been called to the scene and a major search and rescue is under way to find the man after six people got into difficulty off the coast.

Nigel Brown, communications manager for Clacton Pier, told PA the current dragged a group of swimmers towards the pier.

Staff threw lifebelt rings over the side to help those in trouble, he said.

He said:

Eight of them were in the water but my understanding is four or five got into difficulty.

My understanding is one person was missing.

The group that were in the water were very worried about one person they couldn’t see and were saying, ‘There’s one missing’.

As far as I know, that person’s still missing. They’ve had the helicopter up.

Brown said it was “difficult to tell their ages” but he believed some were in their late teens and early 20s and fully clothed.

Essex police said:

We’re on the scene assisting emergency services colleagues with a serious and ongoing incident close to Clacton Pier.

There is a significant emergency services presence in the area while the incident is being dealt with. We’ll provide an update as soon as we practically can.

The Coastguard said it was responding to “a report of multiple people in the water”.

Updated

Thunder, lightning and downpours bringing cooler temperatures have been met with relief by Cornwall residents.

PA Medua reports:

As temperatures passed 40C for the first time in the UK, storms cooled Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, with the Met Office forecasting temperatures in the low 20s in Penzance on Tuesday.

The Met Office reported a high of 34.2C on Monday.

Other regions in Cornwall that experienced thunder and lightning included The Lizard peninsula, in the south, and Mount’s Bay, Penzance, and many social media users shared footage of forked lightning striking off the coast.

Updated

Rich countries shouldn’t blame oil and gas producing nations for climate change because “we as consumers are also responsible”, said Taalas.

It will be a major challenge for oil-producing countries such as Qatar if we reduce consumption of fossil fuels in future, he said. “It’s not an easy question for Qatar-type of countries.”

Taalas has been clear that all countries must move away from dependence on fossil fuels and move towards renewables throughout the press conference.

Updated

The Guardian’s Scotland correspondent, Libby Brooks, has a summary of what the high temperatures mean for Scotland today:

Scotland could see its highest day on record, beyond the 32.9C set at Greycrook in the Scottish Borders in August 2003, according to the Met Office, after temperatures passed 30C in Edinburgh and parts of Aberdeenshire on Monday.

An amber warning for extreme heat remains in force across parts of Scotland until midnight, with the risk of wildfires in eastern and southern areas raised to “very high” until Friday. Visitors to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs national park have been urged to take care in the water, and be especially aware of the risk of cold water shock on particularly hot days like these.

Jennifer Leonard, water and land manager for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa), said the country was “on a countdown to significant water scarcity”, with the prospect of suspending authorisation for businesses that use large amounts of water.

The agency is already liaising with businesses that make significant use of water – for example agriculture, golf courses, whisky manufacture and hydro-power – to advise them how to manage supply and plan ahead.

“Scotland is already seeing the impact of climate change with an increase in water scarcity and also localised flooding over the past few years,” said Leonard.

Updated

Last year, we broke the all-time high in Europe as well as all-time highs in Spain, Turkey and Canada due to the impacts of climate change, Taalas said.

There is also natural variability which means we won’t break records year by year in a single country or region but “the direction is clear”, he said. “We have already pumped so much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that the negative effects will continue for the coming decades,” he said.

He praised Europe, the US, Singapore and Japan for reducing emissions, whereas other Asian countries are growing emissions. If emission growth isn’t reversed, the peak will not take place in the 2060s but later, he warned.

Melting glaciers and rising sea levels will continue for hundreds of years, he said.

Updated

Taalas warned that deforestation in Amazon in Brazil has “had a boosting effect” both on the global climate as well as the local climate in Brazil.

The forest used to be a “sink for carbon” and is now a “source for carbon” due to deforestation and the forests’ replacement with soybean cultivation, he said.

Updated

“We won’t be able to return to the previous climate,” warned Taalas, adding that we are heading towards 2.5C warming and we will have “far more of these events in the future as part of our normal climate”.

He added that these events are “wake-up calls for human beings”, many decades after climate scientists first began talking about climate change in the 1980s. “Most people didn’t believe in our scenarios which we’ve now been able to demonstrate are taking place,” he said.

Updated

Maria Neira, the director of public health at the World Health Organization, warned that the combination of heatwave and pollution could exacerbate respiratory illnesses.

She also recommended that people look to spend at least a couple of hours a day in an air-conditioned space to reduce heat stress on the body.

Updated

Heatwaves are having impacts on human health, said Petteri Taalas, the secretary general of the World Meteorological Organization.

He cited the examples of the 2003 heatwave in central Europe, which resulted in 75,000 deaths, and 2010 in Russia, when there were 50,000 casualties.

He added that we have better means to adapt to those changes now but noted that the same people who were vulnerable during the pandemic are vulnerable during heatwaves. “We expect to see increased deaths among the old and sick people,” he said.

The WMO is also expecting major impacts on agriculture, since large parts of the harvest were lost in previous heatwaves. He noted this will exacerbate the global food crisis due to the war in Ukraine.

Heatwaves are becoming more frequent the negative trend will continue into 2060s independently of any success in climate mitigation before then, Taalas said.

He added that there is a negative impact on tourism in southern Europe, which is a big part of the economies of many Mediterranean countries as it is “not comfortable to come when temperatures are above 40C”.

Updated

A World Meteorological Organization press conference on heatwaves has just started. You can tune in at the video at the top of this page, and I’ll keep you updated on any key lines.

UK temperatures top 40C, provisional Met Office data suggests

Temperatures in the UK have climbed above 40C at Heathrow airport for the first time ever, according to early Met Office data.

The recording of 40.2C was taken at 12.50pm today, and the forecaster expects temperatures to continue to rise.

Updated

GoFundMe have shared some stats and information on people running fundraisers for emergency air conditioning.

In the past seven days three times as many fundraisers were created on GoFundMe mentioning air conditioning compared to the same period in 2021.

GoFundMe also notes that there has also been a 74% increase in fundraisers mentioning victims of house fires compared with last year in the same period, although this isn’t necessarily connected with the heatwave in all cases.

Appeals include:

  • One hedgehog rescue centre launched an emergency appeal on Monday after noticing their hedgehogs were overheating to install an air conditioning unit in the hedgehog hospital.
  • Manchester’s St Mary’s school launched an appeal to buy emergency air conditioning as temperatures increased.
  • 11-year-old Reggie, who attends a special needs school in Leatherhead, Surrey, launched a fundraiser to implore his local community to help fund an air conditioning system in his school.
  • A dance school in Dudley is fundraising for repairs after going up in flames when the sun reflected off a chandelier.

Updated

A man in his 20s has died at Cotswold Water Park, Wiltshire police said.

Police were called shortly after 6pm on Monday and said the man was confirmed dead shortly after being pulled from the water.

His death is not being treated as suspicious.

The park is an area of more than 40 sq miles with 180 lakes.

Updated

Kit Malthouse updated the cabinet on the impact of the heatwave during their meeting this morning.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster updated cabinet on the impact of the heatwave.

“He said services had experienced some disruption but were generally coping well thanks to the hard work of frontline staff.”

Updated

It is understood RAF Brize Norton will remain closed on Tuesday.

An inspection and assessment is due to be carried out later and again on Wednesday morning.

It was announced on Monday that flying activity was halted at the RAF base in Oxfordshire “during this period of extreme temperature” and that aircraft would be using alternative airfields.

A14 Westbound Bottisham
A14 Westbound Bottisham Photograph: @roadpoliceBCH

A section of the A14 dual carriageway in Cambridgeshire was left looking like a “skatepark” after it warped in the heatwave on Monday, police said.

Policing East Cambridgeshire said in a Facebook post on Tuesday, with a photo of the damaged road surface: “No, the A14 is not being turned into a skatepark … unfortunately the road surface isn’t coping well in this heat.

“While it might look like fun it’s potentially very dangerous.”

The westbound section of the A14 at Bottisham was closed overnight from Monday to Tuesday for emergency carriageway repairs and had reopened by around 7am on Tuesday, National Highways said.

Updated

Transport for London (TfL), which has advised people to “only travel if essential”, said around 1.03m entries and exits were made by London Underground passengers up to 10am on Tuesday.

This is down 30% compared with the same period last Tuesday, and also lower than Monday’s figure of 1.06 million.

1.04 million bus journeys were made up to 10am, a decrease of 16% week on week, and down from Monday’s figure of 1.07m.

Updated

UK experiences hottest day on record as temperature climbs above 39C

The UK has experienced its hottest day on record, with the temperature reaching 39.1C in Charlwood, Surrey, according to provisional Met Office figures.

The forecaster has warned that temperatures will climb further throughout the day.

More to follow.

Updated

A lifeguard supervisor in Merseyside has said they have been “extremely busy” in recent days and advised people not to swim anywhere apart from beaches where lifeguards are present.

Speaking to PA Media at Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre, Siobhan Murphy, a lifeguard supervisor, said:

We recommend that you always go to a lifeguarded beach. The lifeguards are there to keep you safe, and we recommend that you swim between the red and yellow flags.

It’s the safest place to swim, there are no hazards there and the lifeguards are always watching that area.

Around the UK the water is always cold, no matter how warm it is outside, like on a day like today, so we recommend that if you do fall into cold water that you float on your back like a starfish and allow that cold water shock to pass. It has been proven to save lives.

Hazards include a fast incoming tide and cold water shock which can affect swimmers of all abilities, she added.

Updated

An East of England ambulance service spokesman said the service has detailed plans in place for dealing with the extreme hot weather as call numbers have climbed above normal levels.

PA Media reports the spokesperson as saying:

We have seen above-average call numbers since Monday afternoon.

Demand on our service is very high and, even when the temperatures drop, we expect to still being seeing an impact from heat-related illnesses into the weekend.

We continue to ask the public to help us, as their actions can help manage rapid increases in the number of people calling for an ambulance.

Please continue to follow guidance during this period of hot weather and only call 999 in life-threatening emergencies.

Updated

Temperatures hit 37.3C in Charlwood, Surrey, by 11am

Temperatures had already reached 37.3C in Charlwood in Surrey by 11am this morning, the latest Met Office data shows.

Met Office meteorologist Annie Shuttleworth said it is “extraordinarily unusual” to see temperatures in the 30s by the morning rush-hour in the UK.

“That’s extraordinarily unusual to see these temperatures in the UK at this time of day,” she said.

She said the high overnight temperatures had led to a very warm start to the day, and added:

We are expecting the temperatures to climb higher than they did yesterday.

It’s looking pretty likely a new record is broken today. We’re looking at the maximum temperatures somewhere between 40C-41C, and that’s looking to be across the Lincolnshire and Yorkshire region.

Updated

Thunderstorms forecast for Wednesday

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms across southern parts of England on Wednesday between 1pm and 9pm.

Heavy showers and thunderstorms may bring disruption during the afternoon as well as lower temperatures, the forecaster warns.

Updated

The BBC has produced some interesting analysis of the UK’s hottest neighbourhoods, which are all concentrated in the most deprived areas of the country.

Analysis by the BBC of satellite data from 4 Earth Intelligence and figures on relative poverty in England, Scotland and Wales suggests people in deprived areas are more than twice as likely to live in places that are significantly hotter than neighbouring, better-off areas.

The difference is down to a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect, where buildings and roads absorb and retain heat, and become significantly hotter than surrounding areas with shade or green space.

This makes a considerable difference. One resident the BBC spoke to lives in an area that was 5C hotter than a nearby park on one day in July last year.

BBC analysis estimates that 6 million people live in places at risk of higher heat across Britain during the summer months.

Updated

Temperatures exceed 35C in London before 10am, Met Office reports

The latest temperature update from the Met Office shows extremely high temperatures in south-east England for 10am – topping 35.1C at Kew Gardens in west London.

Heatwave vindicates government's net zero strategy, Johnson tells cabinet

Speaking to cabinet in front of TV cameras, Johnson has claimed that the heatwave vindicated the government’s decision to push for net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

He told his ministers:

Who can doubt that we were right to be the first major economy to go for net zero? It may be sometimes unfashionable to say this but it is the right thing to do.

In fact, the Guardian’s political correspondent Andrew Sparrow points out that the legislation making 2050 a legally binding target was passed into law in the final days of Theresa May’s government, but Johnson has retained the commitment to net zero.

Environment correspondent Fiona Harvey argues in today’s First Edition briefing that Johnson is more committed to net zero than any of the candidates who might succeed him. “Nobody else in the higher echelons of the Conservative party gives a stuff. He was the only champion green Tories had,” she writes.

You can follow more of Johnson’s meeting on the Guardian’s politics live blog:

Updated

Met Office chief executive Prof Penny Endersby says it will “take a while” for the highest temperatures to register, since there is a “rigorous process of validation” first.

In a tweet, she noted that some sites report only twice-daily or weekly, adding that “engineers are on standby to collect kit from record-breaking sites and bring it back for confirmatory calibration”.

She said:

Good scientific recording takes care and time.

Updated

Road congestion at 9am on Tuesday was lower in several cities than at the same time last week, according to figures published by location technology firm TomTom.

  • In Birmingham, congestion levels fell from 48% on 12 July to 32%.
  • In Bristol, congestion levels were down from 46% to 42%.
  • In London, levels dropped from 60% to 44%.
  • In Manchester, congestion declined from 59% to 44%.

The figures reflect the proportion of additional time required for journeys compared with free-flow conditions.

Updated

The supreme court has been closed to visitors because of the temperatures and an air-conditioning fault.

PA Media reports:

A sign has been posted at the entrance to the building in central London explaining the problem.

A spokesperson said hearings were being staged online and visitors could watch proceedings on the supreme court website.

Updated

Prime minister says heatwave priority should be 'to keep our country, our society and our economy moving'

Prime minister Boris Johnson has indicated the lessons from the end of the pandemic should be applied in the heatwave, in what appeared to be an allusion to the government’s strategy of “living with Covid”.

He told his final scheduled Cabinet meeting:

On another scorching, sweltering day I think it’s very, very important that we think back to that moment that we opened up (after the lockdown) and try and balance risk with the need to keep our country, our society and our economy moving.

I hope, cabinet, that you are all agreed that as far as possible we should keep schools open and keep our transport system going as far as we possibly can.

The “fantastic NHS” would keep “providing for the people of this country in the way that they need and expect”, he said.

Updated

A paper published by medical journal the Lancet shares the best evidence-based ways for people to stay cool when they can’t control the temperature of their environment.

It includes electric fans (including a helpful reminder to drink an additional glass of water per hour to mitigate their dehydrating effect), self-dousing, foot immersion, wearing wet clothing, evaporative coolers, misting fans, drinking ice-cold water and ice towels.

Updated

Firefighters battle major blaze at country park near Birmingham

The Guardian’s Midlands correspondent, Jess Murray, has details of a large fire at a country park outside Birmingham:

Firefighters spent all night at the scene of a major blaze at a country park outside Birmingham, which spread from 400sq metres to 50,000sq metres within hours.

Smoke could be seen billowing from Lickey Hills country park on Tuesday after a large wildfire broke out at around 1.15pm yesterday in the extreme heat.

Fire services posted photos of the devastation this morning, showing scorched ground and burnt trees.

Hereford and Worcester fire service (HWFS) said “the fire in general has been extinguished” but crews are still on site “damping down hotspots”.

Firefighting efforts were hampered by the heat, humidity and the terrain, the service said, with the flames fanned by a southerly wind.

Fifteen people were evacuated from their homes, and people are being urged to stay away from the park today.

Updated

Parts of Europe are experiencing the same unusually high temperatures as the UK, with wildfires raging in the south-west as the heatwave moves north to Belgium and the Netherlands.

Jon Henley, the Guardian’s Europe correspondent, and Sam Jones, Madrid correspondent, have the full story:

Updated

Network Rail has said the hottest rail recorded yesterday was 62C in Suffolk.

The operator explains that rail temperature can be about 20°C higher than air temperature, causing it to expand, bend and break.

To prevent this, trains have been running more slowly and there are fewer services available.

Scotland is also bracing for temperatures highs, which could exceed the August 2003 record of 32.9C at Greycrook in the Scottish Borders.

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning – for extreme heat in eastern, southern and central parts of Scotland – which is in force until midnight on Wednesday.

Holyrood minister Keith Brown has urged people “to think about whether they need to travel and, if they do, make sure they’re properly equipped and plan their journey in advance”.

On Monday, temperatures climbed to 31.3C in Aboyne in Aberdeenshire and Leuchars in Fife, the Met Office said.

The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh recorded 30.8C and temperatures peaked at 29.9C in Aviemore.

On Tuesday, Edinburgh is predicted to reach 31C, while Glasgow will see the mercury rise to around 28C. But in Aboyne, thermometers could reach 32C, and in Coldstream, in the Scottish Borders, temperatures could soar to 34C.

The rising temperatures brought disruption to parts of Scotland’s transport system on Monday, with overhead wires tripping and resetting due to the heat between Glasgow Queen Street Low Level and Hyndland.

Scottish Water has asked people to be as efficient with their water as possible owing to scarcity in some regions, and urged them to use watering cans rather than hoses in gardens, not to fill up paddling pools and to take shorter showers.

Meanwhile, the Scottish fire and rescue service (SFRS) has warned that the wildfire risk in southern and eastern parts of Scotland has risen to “very high”. It said that, in prolonged periods of high temperatures, the risk of wildfires breaking out increases.

SFRS deputy assistant chief officer Bruce Farquharson said:

At this time of year, the ground vegetation is a combination of green growth, with a relatively high moisture content, and dead vegetation lying on top, which can easily ignite and spread quickly over a large area.

During the next few days, I would urge the public to avoid lighting fires outdoors but, if you must, check for restrictions or permissions required by the landowner and make sure you use a fire safe pit or container that can be properly extinguished before you leave.

We need people to be aware of how quickly things can get out of hand – the smallest outdoor ignition can spread rapidly and burn for days. Therefore, we are asking people to act responsibly when enjoying the outdoors and please think twice before using anything involving a naked flame.

Updated

Met Office chief meteorologist Neil Armstrong has a helpful explanation of what the chances are of the UK reaching 40C today and what this would represent:

Even higher maximum temperatures will develop tomorrow with a 70% chance of somewhere in England exceeding 40°C. A value of this level would exceed the current UK record by 1.3°C or more. This is akin to a marathon runner shaving 20 minutes off of the current record.

This is the first time the Met Office has ever forecasted temperatures of 40C in the UK. The forecaster explains:

Weather forecast models are run numerous times to help us quantify the likelihood of a particular event occurring and estimate the uncertainty which is always present in weather forecasting to some degree. Some models are now producing a 70% chance of maximum temperatures in excess of 40°C in isolated parts of the UK for the start of next week. Mid- to high-30s Celsius will be seen more widely with a 95% chance we will exceed the current record.

And climate attribution scientist at the Met Office, Nikos Christidis, explains how this unprecedented event is due to climate change.

Climate change has already influenced the likelihood of temperature extremes in the UK. The chances of seeing 40°C days in the UK could be as much as 10 times more likely in the current climate than under a natural climate unaffected by human influence. The likelihood of exceeding 40°C anywhere in the UK in a given year has also been rapidly increasing, and, even with current pledges on emissions reductions, such extremes could be taking place every 15 years in the climate of 2100.

A recent Met Office study found that summers which see days above 40°C somewhere in the UK have a return time of 100-300 years at present, even with current pledges on emissions reductions this could decrease to 15 years by 2100.

Updated

Most newspaper front pages this morning feature a picture of a Queen’s Guard sentry being given a sip of water outside Buckingham Palace, although the Independent has opted for a striking Met Office heatmap of Britain and the headline “Earth sends a warning”.

The prospect of an even hotter day on Tuesday provides a flurry of warnings on the front pages. “Record highs, travel chaos, schools close ... and it’s going to get hotter”, says the Telegraph, while the Sun warns “Britain is melting”.

The Guardian has a more politically focused headline: “Johnson accused of ‘checking out’ as Britain swelters in searing heat”

You can read the full roundup here:

Updated

There’s more from PA Media on the UK’s warmest night on record:

UK experienced its warmest night on record on Monday as the extreme heat saw temperatures remaining in the mid-20s.

It comes as a high of 40C is predicted for Tuesday, amid growing travel chaos. Transport secretary Grant Shapps has conceded the UK’s transport network cannot cope with the extreme heat.

As the heatwave continues, Shapps told people to “apply common sense” and “depending on the nature of your journey and reason for it, you might want to consider rearranging your day around it”.

He told BBC Breakfast:

We’ve seen a considerable amount of travel disruption. We’re probably going to see the hottest day ever in the UK recorded today, and infrastructure, much of it built in Victorian times, just wasn’t built to withstand this type of temperature – and it will be many years before we can replace infrastructure with the kind of infrastructure that could, because the temperatures are so extreme.

Asked if the transport system can cope with the weather, Shapps said:

The simple answer at the moment is no.

Where those tracks are 40 degrees in the air, on the ground that could be 50, 60, 70 and more, so you get a severe danger of tracks buckling. What we can’t have is trains running over those and a terrible derailing.

We’ve got to be very cautious and conscious of that, which is why there’s reduced speeds on large parts of the network.

Updated

YouGov has polled people about whether they’ve changed their plans for Monday and Tuesday due to the hot weather – nearly a third say they have, rising to 39% in London, where some of the hottest temperatures will be seen, to 18% in Scotland, where it’s a little cooler.

The Met Office has also asked commenters on Twitter whether they’re adapting their plans – answers range from to a delivery driver exasperated with customers telling her she’s lucky to have aircon in her van (she doesn’t), to those who’ve experimented with putting tinfoil on their windows to block out the sun, to someone who went paddle-boarding after work and another who claims to have run a half marathon in the morning …

One other commenter shared this delightful image of moving their alpacas to an area with more shade:

Rachel Hall here taking over from Fran Lawther for the rest of the day – please do send over your stories or news from your local area to rachel.hall@theguardian.com.

Updated

UK records hottest night ever

The UK recorded its provisionally warmest night ever from Monday into Tuesday.

The mercury never got below 25C in places, the Met Office said this morning. That beats the previous night-time high of 23.9C in Brighton in August 1990.

Updated

The ambulance service in London reported a slight increase in 999 calls for fainting and heat exposure on Monday.

Brian Jordan, director of 999 operations for London ambulance service, told BBC Radio 4 the service received 6,600 emergency calls yesterday, slightly lower than predicted.

“We really hope that’s because the public really have been listening to the messages about how they can look after themselves and only call 999 if it’s a genuine emergency,” Jordan said.

“People have been through a very long day yesterday and there’s been high temperatures overnight, and with the even hotter temperatures today I cannot really emphasise enough that people need to continue to do what we were asking them yesterday – to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, keep hydrated, look after more vulnerable friends, families, neighbours and use sun cream etc.”

For tips on how to deal with the temperatures, my colleague Nicola Davis has this guide to keeping cool:

Updated

The Met Office tweeted this graphic to give details of what to expect on Tuesday:

The hot weather has sparked health warnings as there is a higher risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, dehydration as well as breathing problems due to high pollution.

People have been urged to stay inside during the hottest part of the day – between 11am and 4pm – and wear sun cream, a hat, stay in the shade and keep hydrated with water.

A construction worker digging up a road in the Northern Quarter in Manchester wipes sweat from his face.
A construction worker digging up a road in the Northern Quarter in Manchester wipes sweat from his face. Photograph: Joel Goodman/The Guardian

There were warnings about swimming in lakes, rivers and reservoirs after three people died in waters in England and a fourth was missing believed drowned.

There is a higher risk of wildfires, with people asked not to use barbecues or leave litter that could spark fires in the countryside – while zoos and wildlife parks were closed to protect animals, staff and visitors.

Water companies have been experiencing “unprecedented peak demand”, with people encouraged to “carefully consider” their water usage and urged not to waste it.

The UK transport secretary, Grant Shapps, was on Sky News this morning to say issues on the rails and roads will continue for decades during extreme heatwaves.

Asked how long it will take to upgrade existing rail infrastructure to be more resilient, Shapps said: “Decades, actually, to replace it all. Ditto with Tarmac on the roads.

“There’s a long process of replacing it and upgrading it to withstand temperatures, either very hot or sometimes much colder than we’ve been used to, and these are the impacts of global warming.”

He said there was no Cobra meeting planned for Tuesday, with the prime minister instead chairing cabinet.

Boris Johnson was accused on Monday of having “checked out”, missing an emergency Cobra meeting about the searing heat. He instead attended the Farnborough airshow, where he gave a whimsical speech about completing a loop the loop and a barrel roll in a Typhoon fighter jet.

On Tuesday, Shapps denied Johnson was “checked out”. He said: “It’s literally not true, in fact exactly the opposite is the truth.”

Updated

'Unprecedented' day ahead as UK temperatures could hit 41C

Good morning and welcome to our extreme weather blog.

The UK is bracing itself for the hottest day on record on Tuesday, as forecasters said temperatures could reach 41C.

The mercury is set to rise higher than on Monday – already the hottest day of the year at 38.1C (in Santon Downham, Suffolk), though slightly short of the all-time UK heat record of 38.7C. That was set in Cambridge in July 2019 but could be broken today.

Rachel Ayers, from the Met Office, told PA Media that Tuesday was going to be “unprecedented”. She said: “The temperature will be very hot throughout the day, before rising as high as 40C, maybe even 41C in isolated spots across England during the afternoon.

“This will make it the hottest day on record and the first time we have seen temperatures as high as 40C.”

Scotland and Wales could also have their hottest days on record. Holyrood minister Keith Brown urged people “to think about whether they need to travel and, if they do, make sure they’re properly equipped and plan their journey in advance”.

Travel routes will be affected by the heat and National Rail told customers only to travel if absolutely necessary. The operator said: “There will be delays, cancellations and last-minute changes to train services due to the unprecedented record heat on those days.”

There will be no Thameslink or Great Northern trains running anywhere north of London, from London Blackfriars via St Pancras, or from London King’s Cross or London Moorgate on Tuesday.

Merseyrail said the number of trains running and journey times will be “seriously affected”, with some routes closed completely. LNER will run no trains from south of York and south of Leeds to London King’s Cross.

Southern, South Eastern, South Western Railway and Great Western Railway are among the dozens of train companies running significantly reduced services across the country.

Transport for London (TfL) said London’s rail network would also be running a reduced service on Tuesday due to safety restrictions put into place to deal with the heat.

My name is Fran Lawther and I’ll be keeping you up to date with the latest weather news, analysis and tips on how to deal with the heat. Please get in touch with any updates from your local area. You can email me at fran.lawther@theguardian.com.

Updated

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