UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham will chair a meeting of the government’s emergency response committee to discuss measures to tackle extreme heat, wildfires, and drought. Temperatures are expected to reach around 37 degrees Celsius from Thursday across southern and eastern England and parts of the Midlands.

Heatwave and Drought Impact

Fire chiefs have responded to 966 wildfires across England and Wales this year, including 185 in the first 10 days of August alone. The farming industry has warned of a hit to production due to the drought. Most of Britain is experiencing a flash drought caused by a combination of very low rainfall and higher temperatures.

England and Wales recorded their driest July in 190 years, according to the Met Office. Around 45 million people in the country are living in a drought-hit area, and 27 million people are facing restrictions on their water use.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.