As UK reaches 40C and fires blaze, scientists warn of such temperatures every three years if emissions are not lowered
Hundreds of firefighters battled blazes across England on Tuesday as temperatures surged to a historic high of 40.3C, capping two days of extreme heat that scientists warn is “a wake up call” for the climate emergency.
In what climate experts labelled “a grim milestone”, the previous record temperature of 38.7C was first broken at Charlwood in Surrey before noon and then surpassed at Heathrow, which broke the 40C mark at 12.50pm. By 4pm at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, the thermometer showed 40.3C – a full 1.6C higher than the previous 2019 high, which was exceeded at least 34 sites across the country.