London bakes in heat as health alert extended

As London experiences what could be one of the hottest June days on record, authorities have urged people to keep safe.

Temperatures are expected to soar well above 30C (86F) - but is not forecast to beat the capital's all-time heat record for the month when temperatures reached 35.6C (96F) on 29 June 1957, according to the Met Office.

Dr Lynn Thomas, the medical director for St John Ambulance, said the "heat is wonderful for some people but can cause an awful lot of stress".

Amber alerts covering the capital, Yorkshire and the Humber, the East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, South East and South West have been extended to 09:00 BST on Wednesday.

"We're not saying don't go outside, we're not saying don't enjoy it but some people will find it difficult," Dr Thomas said.

She advised people to take precautions to avoid overheating and to check on those who could be particularly vulnerable.

A spokesperson for the mayor of London said that with increased demand on emergency services "it's really important that Londoners look out for older people, children, and pets, and take sensible precautions to stay cool and beat the heat".

In response to the hot weather, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) issued a warning for a "severe risk of wildfires".

LFB Assistant Commissioner Thomas Goodall said: "London is already facing its second heatwave of the year and we know that people will be looking forward to getting outside to enjoy the wonderful weather.

"But the high temperatures and low rainfall in recent months means the current risk of wildfires is severe."

He said that firefighters had responded to 14 wildfires in the capital so far this year alongside "countless callouts" to smaller fires involving grass, trees and in people's gardens.

Among those feeling the heat will be players and spectators at Wimbledon which saw spectators queuing from the early hours of Monday.

The previous hottest opening day was in 2001 when temperatures reached 29.3C (85F).

Wimbledon's heat rule could come into force, allowing a 10-minute break in play when the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) is at or above 30.1C (86F).

The WBGT, which will be taken before the start of play and then at 14:00 and 17:00, takes various factors into account including ambient temperature, humidity, wind and sun angle.

The rule will apply after the second set for all best of three set matches, and after the third for all best of five set matches with players allowed to leave the court during the break, but not to receive coaching or medical treatment.

Transport for London (TfL) also issued advice to commuters on the London Underground.

TfL said 40% of trains across the network have air conditioning, including the Circle, Hammersmith & City, District and Metropolitan lines

On older lines, it said it had introduced "a range of station cooling systems including industrial-sized fans and chiller units to pump in cold air".

Carl Eddleston, TfL's director of streets and network operations, said: "With continuous hot weather forecast over the coming days, we are encouraging customers to carry water with them when they travel.

"We have a comprehensive hot weather plan in place to protect the network's infrastructure with resources on standby to help respond to the impact and to keep services running."

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