Jason Moncrieff, area director for the service, told the BBC’s Today programme: It’s a huge difference. In the first 10 days of August this year compared to last year there were 492% more fires of this kind. So it’s field fires, grass fires, heather fires – all those types of wildfires, a 492% increase this year. He also said a fire on Friday on the Studland Peninsula near Purbeck could have been avoided. He said: Strangely, yesterday’s fire looks like it was started by a disposable barbecue. There can’t be many people in Britain who don’t know that the advice at the moment is don’t bring barbecues, don’t use barbecues, especially disposable barbecues in these places like Studland Heath. That’s our message, bring a picnic – don’t bring a barbecue. It’s under control, it’s a lot better than it was yesterday [but] we will likely continue business throughout the rest of the day. How much more I can’t really say. We managed to install what we call a land network for water supply at the place of business. We are in much better shape than we were at the end of yesterday. Updated at 09.58 BST Important events Show only key events Please enable JavaScript to use this feature
Summary
Here’s a rundown of the day’s top weather headlines:
Met Office forecaster Dan Stroud said the weather would continue to be dry in the south on Sunday. “For the rest of the weekend, in the south, very dry and warm conditions will continue,” he said. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service says it has seen almost a 500% increase in bushfires in the first 10 days of August this year compared to 2021. The fire service also revealed that a fire on the Studland Peninsula near Purbeck was likely started by a disposable barbecue. The fire service told people planning to visit the area: “Bring a picnic – don’t bring a barbecue.” Dorset Police said on Saturday afternoon firefighters discovered a piece of unexploded ordnance believed to date back to the second world war on the scorched moor. Labor called on the government to convene a meeting of the political emergency committee Cobra to ensure water supplies are protected amid the drought. Deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “It’s almost a year since they started the consultation on the National Resilience Strategy and yet they don’t have a unified plan.” The Met Office is warning of an increased risk of fires as well as adverse effects on the health of vulnerable people and the wider population.
This from me, Tom Ambrose, and indeed the live weather blog today. Thanks for watching (and stay cool and hydrated). Updated at 16.04 BST John Henley In places, the Loire can now be crossed on foot. France’s longest river has never flowed so slowly. The Rhine quickly becomes impassable for barge traffic. In Italy, the Po is 2 meters lower than normal, crippling crops. Serbia is dredging the Danube. Across Europe, drought is shrinking once-mighty rivers, with potentially dramatic consequences for industry, freight, energy and food production – just as supply shortages and price spikes from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine bite . Due to climate collapse, an unusually dry winter and spring followed by record summer temperatures and repeated heatwaves have left Europe’s main waterways replenished and, increasingly, overheating. With no significant rainfall recorded for nearly two months in western, central and southern Europe and no forecast in the near future, forecasters say the drought could become the continent’s worst in more than 500 years. Met Office forecaster Dan Stroud said the weather would continue to be dry in the south on Sunday. “For the rest of the weekend, in the south, very dry and warm conditions will continue,” he said. “We’re looking at temperatures, for the rest of Saturday, up to 34C or 35C in the south, it feels a bit cooler in the north, but temperatures up there are still much warmer than they should be for the time of year. “As we move into Sunday, a small change with low pressure is starting to arrive from the south. “There is an increasing risk of isolated showers across Devon and Cornwall very early on Sunday. “Most parts are still generally dry and fine with some bright August sunshine, with these temperatures rising rapidly during Sunday morning and afternoon.” He added that there was still a risk of more fires. “It’s been extremely dry for a long time and the soil and vegetation has been baked dry, so there’s a significant risk.” Updated at 15.29 BST Dorset Police said on Saturday afternoon firefighters discovered a piece of unexploded ordnance believed to date back to the second world war on the scorched moor. The force said a bomb disposal unit would attend and warned the public in the area that they might hear a loud bang as it disposed of the device. Updated at 15.37 BST West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service shared a photo showing how dry some of the nearby reservoirs looked. Updated at 14.58 BST Angeliki Chrysafi We reported yesterday on the potential effects of drought on food production, but the UK is not the only country suffering from such problems. In France, the traditional cheese has become the latest victim of the summer drought, with production of the salers variety in the central Auvergne region halted due to a lack of grass for the cows. Salers is an unpasteurized cow’s cheese that has been made for centuries in central France. It bears the seal of approval of the French Protected Designation of Origin (AOP), which means it is unique to the small region where it is produced. But one of its production rules is that local cows must be fed at least 75% pasture grass if their milk is to be used. This summer’s scorching temperatures have left most of the 76 farmers whose milk goes to produce vendors in despair that their once-green pastures are parched and yellow from drought. “There is nothing else to eat,” one farmer, Laurent Roux, told local radio station France Bleu. “The ground is so dry that it looks like ash in places. It’s dust.” Here’s the latest update from the Met Office on what to expect today: ☀️ Warm and sunny this afternoon and feeling very hot inland with temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius in places 📈 📉 Some coastal areas of N and E Scotland and NE England will be cooler with a chance of rough seas and low cloud ☁️ pic.twitter.com/7TVUhv4HQ2 — Met Office (@metoffice) August 13, 2022 Updated at 13.26 BST
Lunch summary
Here’s a rundown of the day’s key developments so far:
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service says it has seen almost a 500% increase in bushfires in the first 10 days of August this year compared to 2021. The fire service also revealed that a fire on the Studland Peninsula near Purbeck was likely started by a disposable barbecue. The fire service told people planning to visit the area: “Bring a picnic – don’t bring a barbecue.” Labor has called on the government to convene a meeting of the political emergency committee Cobra to ensure water supplies are protected amid the ongoing drought. Deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “It’s almost a year since they started the consultation on the National Resilience Strategy and yet they don’t have a unified plan.” The Met Office is warning of increased fire risks as well as adverse health effects for both vulnerable people and the wider population. With temperatures expected to reach around 34C in some parts of the country, he added that “some delays to road, rail and air travel are likely, with possible welfare problems for those facing prolonged delays”.
Updated at 13.22 BST The remains of a fire smoldering in Hedgerley, Buckinghamshire earlier this morning. Firefighters from Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service returned today to tackle smoldering fires at the scene of the huge blaze in Hedgerley, Buckinghamshire. Photo: Maureen McLean/REX/Shutterstock Five tips to help pets and wildlife beat the extreme UK heat. Fill the pond and treat your pet to an ice lolly during the extreme heat in England and Wales. After the extreme heat, Baylis Park Pond in Slough has dried up leaving displaced ducks and wildlife. After the extreme heat, Baylis Park Pond in Slough has dried up leaving displaced ducks and wildlife. Photo: Maureen McLean/Rex/Shutterstock Updated at 12.12 BST
Labor calls for Cobra meeting to protect water supplies
Labor has called on the government to convene a meeting of the political emergency committee Cobra to ensure water supplies are protected amid the ongoing drought. The party’s vice-president, Angela Rayner, said: This is the second major heat wave in weeks but this Tory government is once again failing our country. Conservative inaction on drought warnings is creating a dusting of dust in Britain. Instead of intervening, ministers have fallen asleep in the midday sun. They lecture the public about using hoses, but where is their plan to protect our vital water system. It’s almost a year since they started the consultation on the National Resilience Strategy and yet they don’t have a unified plan. It’s all spin and no substance. Updated at 11.28 BST More extreme heat and drought conditions are expected in the southern half of the UK this weekend, while the northern half is expected to be hit by storms and flooding. The Met…
