The UK's weather agency issued an amber extreme heat warning Thursday as temperatures were forecast to reach around 38C (100.4F) in parts of the country.

The warning is in force through much of Thursday and covers parts of southern and eastern England as well as the Midlands.

The Met Office said temperatures will rise into the mid-30s Celsius across large areas, with possible impacts on health, travel and water safety.

"While the peak heat will be more short-lived than recent heatwaves, temperatures widely into the mid-30s Celsius on Thursday brings the potential for impacts for some," Chief Forecaster Chris Bulmer said.

Bulmer said high pressure was becoming dominant, while southerly and southeasterly winds were bringing hot air from Europe.

The UK Health Security Agency issued heat health alerts, warning that the conditions could increase demand on health and social care services.

William Spencer, a climate and first aid expert with the British Red Cross, urged people to drink plenty of fluids, seek shade during the hottest parts of the day and take regular breaks from the sun.

"It's also important to look out for the signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke," Spencer said.

The Met Office also warned of potential disruption to heat-sensitive systems and equipment, including possible power cuts.

Meanwhile, north and northwest Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland are expected to see showers and thunderstorms as unsettled weather persists in those areas.

More than two-thirds of England is officially in drought after the country recorded its driest July since records began in 1836.

About 45 million people are living in drought-affected areas of England, with more than 27 million facing water use restrictions.

Last month, the UK Health Security Agency said Britain recorded 2,877 excess deaths during the May and June heat waves, nearly double the 1,504 excess deaths recorded during the summer of 2025.

UK government sends emergency wildfire alert to millions in England and Wales

As the heat intensified, millions of people across England and Wales were sent an emergency alert warning of a very high risk of wildfires.

The alert is being issued on a rolling basis from approximately 7 pm local time, with the government describing it as the most extensive use of the Emergency Alerts system so far.

The message will sound and vibrate for about 10 seconds even if a mobile phone is set to silent. Some handsets may also automatically read the message aloud.

The alert warns: "There is a very high risk of wildfires nationally. Residents, landowners and visitors should not undertake any activity that could start a fire, including disposable barbeques, firepits, garden incinerators or fireworks."

"Even a small flame can rapidly develop into a major wildfire placing lives, homes, businesses and emergency responders at risk."

The government is urging residents, landowners and visitors not to carry out activities that could start fires while the wildfire risk remains high, specifically warning against the use of disposable barbeques, firepits, garden incinerators and fireworks.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said "we cannot accept this as the new normal" as he visited the site of burnt-out houses in the West Midlands.

Burnham said "Britain is a tinderbox right now" — with "37 fires smouldering" and property and lives at risk.

He said the wildfire in Stourbridge had left people homeless and others, including firefighters, injured.

Nineteen homes were destroyed in the blaze Thursday, and 19 people were taken to hospital due to fires across the West Midlands.

He told broadcasters he was shocked by the scenes: "I've never seen scenes like this in Britain, where you just see a whole house gutted, smouldering."

"Farmers are watching crops fail and firefighters have faced hundreds of wildfires in a matter of weeks," Burnham added in a video on X. "This is what climate change looks like here and now."