By Steffie Banatvala
Amber heat health alerts have been extended further across several parts of England as the UK heatwave intensifies.
Amber alerts are now in place until 9am on Wednesday for the West Midlands, Yorkshire and The Humber, East Midlands, East of England, South East, South West and London, according to the the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office.
Previously the alert had covered London, East Midlands, South East and East of England only, and it was in place until 6pm tomorrow.
Alerts provide an early warning system to authorities and the public to show when temperatures may hit dangerous levels. They are colour coded from green (no alert), yellow, amber to red.
Temperatures are set to soar to 34C in London and south-east England, while temperatures will climb above 30C across other parts of England, including Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol and Cambridge.
Monday is set to be one of the hottest June days ever as temperatures have only surpassed 34C in three years since 1960. The hottest June day ever was 35.6C, recorded on June 28 1976.
鈥淭hese high temperatures and humid conditions will be quite uncomfortable for those working outside as well as people leaving Glastonbury and attending the start of Wimbledon and other outdoor events. Stay hydrated and try to keep out of the sun during the hottest part of the day,鈥 Met Office Chief Meteorologist Paul Gundersen said, adding that peak heat is expected on Tuesday in the South East.
鈥淚t won鈥檛 be hot everywhere, with a marked difference in northwestern parts of the UK.鈥
London is at risk of wildfires and health and social care services across England are expected to be impacted significantly.
“As the weather has been so dry, it only takes a few sparks to lead to a fire spreading rapidly,鈥 London’s fire chief Thomas Goodall said, adding that firefighters have already been called to 14 wildfires in London this year.
It is also provisionally the hottest start to Wimbledon on record, with 29.7C being recorded at the nearby Kew Gardens, the Met Office said.