Large parts of western Europe are set to swelter again on Thursday, with Britain bracing for its fifth heat wave of an exceptional summer that is expected to become the hottest on record. Forecasters have said temperatures in central and southeast England could climb to 38 degrees Celsius, just below the August record of 38.5 degrees set in 2003.

The Met Office said earlier this week that only average conditions for the rest of August would be enough for this year to beat last year’s record as the hottest. The fresh spell of extreme heat is also adding to pressure on water supplies and increasing the risk of wildfires across parts of the country.

For Britain, which is largely not equipped for such temperatures, the past few weeks have been especially difficult. Air conditioning remains uncommon outside shops and offices. Conditions have been particularly hard in hospitals, where nurses have reportedly collapsed from heat exhaustion, according to the Royal College of Nursing.

“When nursing staff are collapsing, feeling dizzy, sick or even being admitted to the very hospitals they work in because their workplaces cannot handle the heat, it shows just how badly they are being failed,” RCN chief executive and general secretary Professor Nicola Ranger said.

Most of the country is now officially in drought, putting added strain on water resources for households, agriculture and the environment, while authorities and communities look for short- and long-term measures in the face of human-caused climate change. Southern Water, which manages supplies in the south of England, has applied for a rare drought order that would ban businesses from non-essential water use, including cleaning cars and filling non-domestic swimming pools. The company said an “exceptional” lack of rain had threatened supplies in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Environment Secretary Angela Eagle will decide on the application, which would be the first such ban since May 2006. At the same time, wildfires have been burning out of control, especially this week in the New Forest in southern England. According to the National Fire Chiefs Council, 1,017 wildfires have been recorded in England and Wales this year, matching last year’s record total. While the fires have not reached the scale seen in France, Greece and Spain, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would consider a ban on disposable barbecues as the extreme heat continues. “I do believe we need to get the message out loud and clear,” he said. “People should not be using those barbecues outside at this moment in time.”

With another spell of intense heat on the way, Britain is facing rising temperatures, drought, pressure on essential services and a growing wildfire threat, as officials weigh fresh restrictions to deal with the conditions.

With PTI Inputs

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Published By:

India Today Web Desk

Published On:

Aug 13, 2026 13:58 IST