A wildfire has broken out in the Peak District as Britain grapples with an intense heatwave that has brought the hottest June temperatures ever recorded. Flames have been seen engulfing wooded moorland in Glossop, near Wood Head Reservoir in Derbyshire, with plumes of smoke billowing overhead.
The fire began around 10 p.m. on Wednesday evening. The United Kingdom is currently experiencing a "heat dome" effect, with temperatures reaching 36.7C (98.1F) on Thursday afternoon. This follows Wednesday's record of 36.1C (97F) in Gosport, Hampshire, surpassing the previous June record set in 1976.
Temperatures are forecast to climb further, potentially reaching 38C (100.4F) on Friday, while swathes of England and Wales remain under a rare red warning for extreme heat, signifying a danger to life. The Met Office extended this warning through Friday, citing the risk of "population-wide adverse health effects."
The extreme weather has coincided with other incidents. A 50-year-old man died after entering the sea at Aberavon beach in South Wales on Thursday afternoon. Emergency services performed CPR, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
In Dorset, a fire engine caught fire on the A350 near Charlton Marshall on Thursday evening while en route to another incident. The crew escaped safely, and two other fire crews extinguished the blaze, which damaged the engine's cab and spread to nearby grass and telegraph cables. The intense heat caused vehicle tires and cylinders to explode.
Thursday night marked the warmest June night in the UK, with overnight temperatures in Cardiff not dropping below 23.5C (74.3F), breaking the 1976 record of 22.7C (72.9F).
Educational institutions have been impacted, with numerous schools and nurseries across England and Wales closing or operating with reduced hours and relaxed rules. Some schools have implemented alternative cooling methods, such as holding lessons in a World War II Nazi bunker.
Transport networks are experiencing significant disruption. Passengers are being advised to avoid non-essential travel, particularly to coastal areas like Bournemouth, due to the heat.