The Prime Minister will hold an emergency Cobra meeting this afternoon
Andy Burnham will chair a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee today as the country faces wildfires and drought amid the latest heatwave. The Prime Minister will meet with ministers, officials and agencies as temperatures soar across the UK, with the mercury forecast to reach up to 38C tomorrow.
Ministers from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Home Office, and Department for Health will attend. The Environment Agency will also be present. It will be the second Cobra meeting this year on heatwaves following the first in June.
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.
A firefighter union chief warned yesterday that the country faces a “national emergency” amid ongoing 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 (NFCC) said.
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.