The UK recorded its hottest day of the year on Thursday, with temperatures reaching 38.1 degrees Celsius in west London. This heat wave is the fifth one to hit the UK this year, with the first one recorded in May.
Heat Wave Impacts
The intense heat has led to multiple fires breaking out in different areas of the West Midlands in central England. At least two new grass fires were reported, with multiple homes burning in Stourbridge next to a golf course.
Britain and France are facing widespread drought conditions, which have shriveled crops and drained rivers. The UK’s Southern Water has applied for a rare drought order to ban nonessential water use, including cleaning cars and filling swimming pools.
The heat wave has also raised concerns about wildfires, with authorities in Britain and France on high alert. French firefighters are threatening to go on strike to demand more staff and resources to cope with the increasingly extreme weather events.
In northern Greece, a wildfire swept through a pine forest, threatening seaside homes and prompting the evacuation of over 300 vacationers and residents.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
