Amber heat health warning as scorching temperatures could cause 'rise in deaths'

An amber heat health alert has been issued for large parts of England over fears of "significant impacts" from this week's heatwave.

The new warning from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) covers East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, and the South East, will apply from 9am on Tuesday until 6pm on Wednesday. A less severe yellow health warning is also in place for North East, North West, Yorkshire and the southwest. In the amber warning area, the UKHSA says impacts are "likely" across health and social care services as a result ofhigh temperatures - including a potential "rise in deaths".

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Other eventualities covered by the warning include the heat affecting the ability of the health sector to deliver services, indoor environments "overheating" in community and care settings, issues managing medicines, staffing issues due to "external factors" such as transport delays and increased demand for power exceeding capacity.

Temperatures are expected to begin building today, approaching 30C in some parts of the country, before reaching heatwave criteria in central and southern England by midweek.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tom Crabtree said: “Warmth is the focus in the forecast in the first half of this week, with temperatures likely to peak on Tuesday around the mid-30s, but remaining above average in the second half of the week, particularly further to the southeast.

“The exception to the widely warm conditions will be northwest Scotland on Monday, where showers will be more frequent. Warmth will develop there from Tuesday with temperatures peaking in the mid to high 20s.”

It comes after firefighters issued an urgent new warning ahead of the upcoming heatwave following a string of outdoor fires caused by "human behaviour".

This morning, Scottish Fire and Rescue service group commander Neil MacLennan said a huge blaze on Arthur's Seat in the centre of Edinburgh was "almost certainly sparked by human activity", though the exact cause is yet to be established.

And on Friday, London Fire Brigade said they had attended 80 wildfires believed to have been started deliberately so far this summer, while other incidents are thought to resulted from accidental triggers, such as disposable BBQs and discarded cigarettes.

Parents are being urged to educate their children on the risks of starting outdoor fires, while park users hoping to enjoy a spot of sunshine have been asked to behave responsibly and take their litter home with them.

London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Tom Goodall said: “While some wildfires can occur naturally, particularly during spells of extreme dryness and heat, the majority of these fires can be easily avoided by the public behaving responsibly.

“What might seem like harmless fun has the potential to have devastating consequences especially in London when so many of our green spaces lie close to properties. There is also the impact on wildlife and the ability for others to enjoy their local green spaces.

“These types of incidents can also have a impact on our resources and wildfires can be challenging for firefighters to deal with on the ground, especially if it is hot.

“As we head into the fourth week of the school holidays, we’re urging parents to inform their children on the risks of starting an outdoor fire, as well as encouraging them not to act recklessly or irresponsibly.”