The UK Health Security Agency issued an amber heat health alert on Friday for parts of England as the country heads into a bank holiday weekend that could bring its hottest May day on record. The alert began at 2pm and covers the East Midlands, West Midlands, the east of England, London and the South East until 5pm next Wednesday.
The warning replaced earlier yellow alerts in some of those areas, signaling a sharper risk as temperatures build. The agency said an amber alert means a rise in deaths is likely, particularly among those aged 65 and over or people with health conditions, and that demand on health and social care services is also likely to increase.
Forecasters expect highs of 28C in parts of south-east England on Friday, before temperatures climb above 30C across swathes of England and Wales over the following days. On Monday, southern England and the Midlands are forecast to reach 33C, which would top the current UK May temperature record of 32.8C.
That heat is arriving as people make plans for beaches, parks and back gardens, including at Bournemouth Beach and other coastal spots likely to draw crowds over the holiday. The concern is not only the temperature itself but how quickly warm, dry weather can turn crowded outdoor spaces into pressure points for hospitals and emergency services.
The London Fire Brigade said on Friday that the hot, dry conditions raise the risk of fires, including wildfires, and warned that barbecues will be very popular this weekend. Paul McCourt said the brigade was sharing simple safety tips to help prevent a fire ruining the bank holiday, and urged people to keep barbecues on level ground, away from fences, sheds and trees, and not to use them on balconies or decking.
He also said children and pets should be kept away from barbecues. The advice lands at the same moment the weather becomes hot enough to push more people outside, creating a familiar summer risk before summer has even begun.
New yellow alerts were also issued for the north-east and north-west of England, Yorkshire and Humber and the south-west of England, showing that the heat is not confined to the south. But the sharpest warning is centered on the areas most likely to see the highest temperatures first, and the next few days will determine whether Monday breaks the record and how hard the heat tests hospitals, care services and fire crews.
