Fourth heatwave to bring risk of ‘exceptionally severe’ wildfires in parts of England

• The UK is preparing for its fourth heatwave of the summer, with temperatures in parts of southern England expected to rapidly reach 32-33C from Wednesday.
• This heatwave will create a 'north-south split', with southern England experiencing high temperatures while Northern Ireland, Scotland, and northern England will see clouds and rain.
• Forecasters anticipate the heatwave will be short-lived, with temperatures widely cooling to near-average levels by the weekend.
• The ongoing dry and hot conditions, following a July that was 3C above average and saw significantly reduced rainfall, are elevating the risk of wildfires.
• The Fire Severity Index indicates an 'exceptionally severe' wildfire risk in pockets of east, south-east, and south England, particularly on Wednesday and Thursday.

IN FULL

Fourth heatwave of summer to hit within days after weekend of cooler temperatures