Record-breaking heat sees UK battle wildfires

UK struggles against record-breaking heat, infrastructure failures and wildfires as temperatures soar due to climate change

Extreme heat saw Britain swelter as the mercury hit 40.3 degrees celsius in England’s north – the hottest temperature ever recorded in the United Kingdom.

Heathrow Airport and St James’s Park in central London weren’t far behind, hitting 40.2 degrees.

The London Fire Brigade declared an emergency incident.

As it battled baking heat and fires sparking across multiple locations in and out of the national capital.

Professor Stephen Belcher, the Met Office’s chief scientist said that the extreme heat was due to climate change.

“If we continue under a high emissions scenario we could see temperatures like these every three years”

prof stephen belcher, chief scientist, uk met office

Thousands of people in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the north-east were left without power after transmission equipment overheated.

Many train services were cancelled as the steel rails buckled under the heat, and overhead wires sagged.

Schools closed early – or even refused to open.

The supreme court moved hearings online.

And the British Museum closed at 3pm – earlier than normal because of the unprecedented heat.