Rail passengers in Britain are being urged to avoid non-essential travel as the country prepares for a potentially record-breaking heatwave, with temperatures forecast to reach 38C. Three train operators—Chiltern Railways, East Midlands Railway, and Northern—have issued alerts advising customers to travel only if essential due to the expected extreme heat and the potential for significant delays.

Several other operators, including c2c, CrossCountry, Great Western Railway, Transport for Wales, and West Midlands Railway, have also confirmed reduced services. The high temperatures can cause a range of issues for the railway infrastructure, including buckled rails, sagging overhead wires, and fires along the lines. Steel rails can reach 50C when the air temperature is 30C.

Heatwave Triggers Rail Disruptions

Chiltern Railways stated that temperatures could reach 38C on parts of its network and will operate a reduced timetable between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Services between London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street will run hourly instead of half-hourly, some services between London Marylebone and Oxford will be cancelled, and no services will operate from Birmingham Snow Hill after 10:15 a.m. East Midlands Railway has suspended regional services between Nottingham and Worksop, and Nottingham and Leicester from noon. Northern will run fewer trains than usual on some routes in the North West and Yorkshire, citing the risk of issues with reliability due to extreme heat.

Surge in Wildfires

The intense heat comes as the number of wildfires in England and Wales this year has already surpassed the total for the entirety of last year. Fire chiefs reported 1,017 wildfires so far in 2026, compared to 869 in the same period in 2025. July was the busiest month on record for wildfires, with 458 incidents.

Phil Garrigan, chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council, noted that while most UK wildfires are caused by human activity, climate change is exacerbating the conditions. He warned that hot, dry weather is turning parts of the UK into "tinderbox landscapes," increasing the scale and intensity of fires. Major wildfires have occurred in areas like the Pennines, the Cairngorms in Scotland, and the New Forest in Hampshire.

Potential Ban on Disposable Barbecues

In response to the increasing risk of wildfires, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is considering a ban on disposable barbecues. He is set to chair an emergency Cobra committee meeting to discuss the issue. This consideration comes after a government spokesperson stated on August 4 that there were no plans for such a ban, though most major UK supermarkets have recently suspended sales of disposable barbecues.

Drought Conditions and Water Shortages

Much of Britain is experiencing severe drought conditions. Nearly three-quarters of England and the whole of Wales are in drought, following a record dry July and a dry start to August. Over 45 million people in England are in drought-stricken areas, with 27 million customers under hosepipe bans. Parts of southern England, including Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, and West Sussex, have recorded over 60 days without rainfall. In east London and Essex, more than 10,000 homes and businesses have been without running water for five days due to multiple burst pipes, with Thames Water working to repair the final of four burst pipes. Temporary water distribution points have been established in the affected area, with residents facing significant queues for bottled water.