The UK government's emergency committee, Cobra, will convene for an urgent meeting to address the nation's response to extreme heat, wildfires, and drought. Prime Minister [REDACTED] will lead discussions with ministers from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Home Office, and the Department of Health, alongside officials from the Environment Agency.
This marks the second Cobra meeting focused on heatwaves this year, following a similar session in June. The current situation comes as temperatures are forecast to reach 33C (91.4F) today and up to 38C (100.4F) tomorrow. The Met Office has issued rare amber 'extreme heat' warnings for London and parts of the Midlands, South East, East Midlands, East of England, West Midlands, and South Yorkshire, effective from tomorrow morning until midnight.
The country is experiencing its driest July on record, with 71.3% of England now in a state of 'flash drought', a condition characterized by rapid onset due to low rainfall and high temperatures. This has placed significant pressure on water resources, with nearly three-quarters of England and the entirety of Wales currently in drought. Southern Water has applied for a drought order to ban non-essential water use by businesses in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, citing an exceptional lack of rain that threatens supplies. This measure, if approved by Environment Secretary Angela Eagle, would be the first such ban since May 2006.
Firefighters have been particularly strained, responding to 966 wildfires across England and Wales this year. July alone saw 458 incidents, making it the busiest month on record for wildfires. The National Fire Chiefs Council reported 185 incidents in the first 10 days of August. Steve Wright, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, warned that the nation faces a "national emergency" due to the ongoing fires and highlighted concerns about outdated equipment and personal protective gear for firefighters.
The government has announced £97 million in new funding to upgrade national firefighting capabilities, including off-road vehicles and specialist equipment. Health Secretary Yvette Cooper acknowledged the challenges faced by NHS staff and urged the public to heed heat health alerts, stay hydrated, and check on vulnerable friends, family, and neighbors. Previous record-breaking heatwaves in May and June were linked to over 2,800 deaths, underscoring the health risks associated with extreme temperatures. The Met Office chief forecaster, Chris Bulmer, noted that while the peak of the heat may be shorter-lived than previous heatwaves, widespread temperatures in the mid-30s Celsius present a potential for impacts, necessitating the issued warning. High pressure is expected to dominate, with southerly and south-easterly winds drawing hot air from Europe, further exacerbating the heat in what has already been a hot and dry summer for many in southern UK.
Water firms, including Affinity Water, Anglian Water, and Thames Water, are implementing hosepipe bans in 2026 due to the persistent dry conditions.