Britain is bracing for another blast of extreme heat, with the Met Office warning that a sixth heatwave could sweep across the country as early as September.
After a week of rain and blustery conditions, temperatures could surge again as Britain heads into autumn, with high pressure potentially driving another spell of hot, settled weather, particularly across southern England.
Forecasters stress it is still too early to determine how intense or widespread the heat could be. But the warning comes after a summer that has already delivered five heatwaves, with temperatures soaring to 38.1C last week.
That scorching spell brought Britain to a standstill in places – and turned parts of the country into a tinderbox.
Two trains derailed within 24 hours during the extreme heat, prompting investigations into whether soaring temperatures contributed to the incidents. At Lewes in East Sussex, several Southern train carriages left the track and overturned, leaving two people seriously injured. A separate Greater Anglia train derailed at Wickford in Essex, although no injuries were reported.
The heat also fuelled devastating wildfires, with homes destroyed and communities forced to flee.
In Stourbridge, West Midlands, a grass fire spread to six properties, while four homes were destroyed in Stoke-on-Trent. A child was taken to hospital after inhaling smoke, while several others received treatment.
Simon Tuhill, the region’s chief fire officer, described the fires as among the most significant incidents his service had faced, warning that the devastation was extensive.
Elsewhere, a major wildfire in Salford Priors, Warwickshire, prompted residents to shut their windows and doors, while emergency services battled blazes that had burned for days.
The extreme heat also put pressure on water supplies, with Severn Trent warning of lower water pressure and discoloured water in parts of the West Midlands as firefighters used hydrants to tackle the fires.
Yet amid the devastation, communities have rallied behind those who lost everything.
Emergency appeals have raised more than £125,000 for families affected by fires in Stourbridge, Birmingham, Pershore and Stoke-on-Trent. Some families lost not only their homes but also beloved pets.
The latest warning raises the prospect of Britain enduring another bout of dangerous heat just as autumn begins.
