The Met Office has issued an orange heat warning covering most of England and Wales, with temperatures of up to 34C (93.2F) forecast for Saturday and Sunday. On Friday, Wiggonholt, in the Horsham area of West Sussex, peaked at 34.5C (94.1F). With an orange alert, heat-related illnesses including sunburn and heat exhaustion are “likely” in the general population and delays in public transport are “likely”. Meanwhile, a lower level yellow warning for thunderstorms is in place from midday on Sunday until 6am on Monday for most of Scotland and Northern Ireland. This means there is a “slight chance” of flooding in these nations and the possibility of power outages. Image: A parched golf course seen from a balloon at the annual Bristol International Balloon Fiesta The highest forecast daytime temperature of 34C is forecast in the south-east on Saturday, with 32C forecast in London and 27C in Edinburgh. Temperatures around 30C (86F) are expected further north in England, while much of Scotland and Northern Ireland can expect temperatures in the mid-20s. It comes after eight areas of England were declared officially dry on Friday by the National Drought Group, which includes representatives from the government, water companies, the Environment Agency (EA) and others. Image: Low water levels at Baitings Reservoir in Yorkshire have exposed long-hidden debris Three water companies – Welsh Water, Southern Water and South East Water – have imposed tube bans, while Yorkshire Water has announced a ban will start on August 26 and Thames Water is planning one in the coming weeks. Residents of the areas indicated on the map below can expect to see restrictions placed on domestic and commercial water use. Meanwhile, fire crews across Britain remain under pressure from the high risk of fires following the prolonged drought. Crews in Derbyshire were still tackling a massive blaze late on Friday night, with four fire engines at the scene in Creswell, Worksop. Footage shared online showed flames filling the horizon and large plumes of smoke in the sky above a residential area. Derbyshire Fire and Rescue also tackled embankment flames next to a railway in Matlock and near junction 26 of the M1. The agency said it was “planning for a busy weekend” with further fires, and echoing calls from fire services across the country, asked people to refrain from lighting garden fires or using portable barbecues. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 56:11 With parts of the UK now in drought, Sky News brings you a special program exploring the effects and causes Read more: Tire bans: What are the rules – and what are the exceptions? What and where is the ‘extraordinary’ fire hazard – and how to avoid it Around 35 firefighters were also deployed to tackle a two-hectare blaze at Leyton Flats Wildlife Reserve in Waltham Forest, east London. London Fire Brigade crews were caught tackling the flames at the scene. The agency said there were no fires in the capital as of 9 p.m. Friday. Subscribe to the Daily Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Spreaker England’s drought could continue into next year, according to EA. John Curtin, executive director of regional operations at EA, said after the driest summer in 50 years, it would take “weeks of rain” to replenish water sources. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 1:12 How the British landscape has changed during the summer heatwave Read more: What happens during a drought and how you can help? The announcement could lead to more measures, such as banning pipes, however, the EA has assured that the public’s basic water supplies are safe.
