Heatwave to continue into weekend with record temperatures and wildfire risks

The Met Office announced the new records after temperatures peaked at 35.2C at Coton in the Elms, Derbyshire on Friday afternoon.

The heatwave across the UK looks set to continue as 2026 became the first year to record temperatures of 35C on six separate days, and emergency services warn of “extreme” wildfire risks over the weekend.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has urged people not to use disposable barbecues over the weekend over fears of the dry heat leading to fires.

The Metropolitan Police is worried about excessive calls, with England set to play Norway in a quarter-final of the Fifa World Cup on Saturday night.

The Met has urged people to avoid getting in touch for non-emergencies amid a surge in 999 calls during the hot weather.

Forecasters have said areas of England and Wales will continue to exceed 30C throughout the weekend and into next week.

Saturday is expected to see highs of 32-34C in Wales and south-west England, the Met Office has said.

Amber and yellow heat health alerts issued by the UK Health Security Agency will remain in place across large parts of England until Sunday.

The Met has warned of possible thunderstorms from Monday in parts of the south, but overall another very dry week to come.

Met Office deputy chief forecaster David Hayter, said: “Areas of central and southern England and Wales are expected to see several more consecutive days of temperatures above 30C.

“While temperatures are expected to reach into the low to mid-30s through the weekend, the focus of the heat will gradually shift towards western parts of the UK.

“This will also bring some slightly cooler and cloudier conditions to eastern coastal areas than of recent days. It will also turn windier across southern areas, bringing breezier conditions, especially along coasts and headlands.

“The main exception to the largely dry and sunny conditions is northern Scotland, where a cold front is bringing rain, cloud and some heavy downpours on Friday. But conditions are expected to improve over the weekend.

“There is a possible increase in thunderstorms from Monday in parts of the south, however most areas will remain dry, sunny and very warm into the coming week.”

The Met Office announced the new records after temperatures peaked at 35.2C at Coton in the Elms, Derbyshire, on Friday afternoon.

Later in the evening, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue (DFR) confirmed that it was currently fighting two wildfires in the area.

The force reported that it was dealing with a moorland fire near Arnfield Farm in Glossop, and a separate ongoing fire in Tintwistle Moor.

Friday night also saw a “trackside” blaze involving shrubbery at Stratford Station in London at around 7pm, causing rail line closures.

LFB reported that the fire was under control at around 9.30pm, and has used the incident to reiterate the risk of wildfires during the heatwave this weekend.

The brigade said that the latest assessments show the risk in London will grow from “elevated” to “extreme” from Saturday to Monday, driven by factors like prolonged dry weather, heat and wind speed.

LFB assistant commissioner Tom Goodall said: “We want everyone across the city to enjoy the continuing heatwave but this must be done responsibly.

Derbyshire Constabulary announced that the body of an 18-year-old man had been recovered from the water near the weir at the Darley Abbey Mills complex after two teenagers got into difficulty.

Greater Manchester Police said a scene remained in place at Dovestone Reservoir, Oldham, after an 18-year-old man died on Friday.

The Met Office warned people planning to enjoy the water this weekend to be careful and check the water temperature to avoid cold water shocks.

The former 35C on separate days record was held by 1976 and 2020 during which five days were recorded with temperatures over 35C.

2026 has also become the first year to see temperatures of 35C or higher in three calendar months – and broke the record for most temperatures of 34C or higher, with nine so far this summer.

Water firms have also announced hosepipe bans for the east of England, Cambridge, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and areas of Kent.

Strain on water supplies has intensified after the successive heatwaves followed a record warm spring for England and Wales.

It comes as the UK faces growing pressure on its water system as human-driven climate change disrupts rainfall patterns and drives more extreme weather events.

This has been compounded by population increases as well as years of under-investment in infrastructure putting further strain on the system, including no new reservoirs being built in 30 years and leaking pipes.

Hosepipe restrictions came into force on Friday for about one million Southern Water customers across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

On Friday morning, Anglian Water also announced a hosepipe ban for its more than five million customers in the east of England.

The ban will come into force from 1am on Saturday but the utility has asked that people “live within the spirit of these restrictions immediately”.

In a notice on Thursday afternoon, Cambridge Water announced a temporary hosepipe ban for its 350,000 customers, which came into effect immediately but enforcement actions will not start until 1am on July 17.

This marks the first time in three decades it has introduced the restriction, with the company saying teams are working around the clock to maintain supplies.

South East Water became the first to introduce a ban on July 3 for areas of Kent, including those in Ashford, Canterbury, Faversham, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Snodland, Tenterden and Tunbridge Wells.