Large parts of western Europe, including Britain, are expected to swelter under another heat wave on Thursday. Forecasters predict the mercury to rise as high as 100 Fahrenheit in central and southeast England, just short of the August record of 100.9 Fahrenheit set in 2003.
Heat Wave Impact
The heat wave has been particularly uncomfortable for a country not equipped to deal with these levels of heat. Air conditioning is a rarity outside of shops and offices, and working has been difficult in hospitals, where nurses have collapsed from heat exhaustion.
The Royal College of Nursing has spoken out about the conditions, saying that nursing staff are being failed when they collapse, feel dizzy, or are admitted to the hospitals they work in due to the heat. The bulk of the country is now officially in drought, putting pressure on water resources for households, agriculture, and the environment.
Southern Water has applied for a rare drought order, which would ban businesses from non-essential water use, including cleaning cars and filling non-domestic swimming pools. Environment Secretary Angela Eagle will decide on the application, which would be the first such ban since May 2006.
Meanwhile, wildfires have been blazing uncontrollably, most notably in the New Forest in southern England. Some 1,017 wildfires have been recorded in England and Wales this year, according to data from the National Fire Chiefs Council, the same as last year’s record-breaking total.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he will consider imposing a ban on disposable barbecues amid the risk of further wildfires as extreme heat continues to grip parts of the U.K.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
