UK heatwave to intensify in second week as wildfires burn across UK

The UK's third heatwave of the year is set to intensify again this week, following a slight drop in temperatures for some on Monday.

More places in England and Wales could exceed 30C, with some forecasts suggesting that temperatures close to the mid-30s could be possible in a few locations.

Heatwave thresholds may also be briefly reached in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland as humidity levels increase across the country.

Amber and yellow heat health alerts, external issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are in effect until 21:00 BST on 15 July.

They warn that significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures, including a rise in deaths, particularly among those with health conditions or aged 65 and older.

Meanwhile, firefighters have been tackling wildfires across England and Wales.

In Conwy in north Wales, a mountain wildfire that broke out on Sunday forced people in a rural community to evacuate their homes. It has been declared a major incident, with firefighters warning the blaze is expected to spread as temperatures rise again on Monday.

One family evacuated from their home said the fire reached their driveway, coming within 200m of their house.

"The sound was worse than anything. It was so loud, the crackling. You could hear it coming down the mountain," resident Ben Campbell said.

Elsewhere, firefighters remain at the scene of a moorland fire near Dovestone Reservoir in Greater Manchester after the blaze broke out on Saturday evening.

In Derbyshire, high winds caused a wildfire at Tintwistle Moor to escalate overnight.

A major incident, declared on Sunday by Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, remains in place as crews continue to tackle the blaze, which began on 24 June.

Wildfires over the weekend also affected Hampshire, Durham, West Sussex, East Sussex, Devon and Somerset.

Brisk north-easterly winds and a spell of lower humidity, running around an area of high pressure in northern Scotland, have helped to break some of the recent intense heat, especially in central and eastern parts of the UK.

Temperatures across England and Wales on Monday will be lower than in recent days, but could still reach highs of 30C in some southern counties.

For some locations, this means the run of consecutive 30-degree days will enter its second week.

A few spots in Northern Ireland and western Scotland could also reach their heatwave threshold temperature of 25C.

By contrast, North Sea coasts will stay cooler at around 16C to 21C.

By midweek, an area of low pressure over France will bring the UK lighter easterly winds, marking a return to slightly more humid weather.

Temperatures will increase in most areas and are expected to peak on Thursday.

Readings around 26C or 27C are forecast across the western sides of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

More of England and Wales will experience highs around the 30C mark, with some weather models predicting isolated peaks of 32 or 33C.

The UK has already seen a record-breaking nine days this year where temperatures have reached 34C or higher, two more than the previous record years of 1976 and 2020.

Night-time temperatures will also increase again, with the prospect of a few 'tropical nights' being recorded, as temperatures hold above 20C.

Amber heat health alerts, external by the UKHSA were extended on Sunday in the West Midlands and south-west England, and will remain in force until 21:00 BST on 15 July.

Lower level yellow warnings are also in place for the same period in north-west England, East Midlands, east of England, south-east England and the London area.

The prolonged hot and dry weather has also resulted in increased wildfire risk, especially for England and Wales.

Lower humidity and stronger winds over the weekend saw the fire risk raised to "exceptional" in parts of southern England.

That risk is expected to ease a touch as winds become lighter and the chance of showers increases slightly.

However, it will rise again more widely across central and eastern England from Wednesday.

Despite the chance of a few sporadic thunderstorms breaking out later this week across southern areas of the UK, the prospect of a concerted cooldown remains uncertain.

Computer weather models show a likely trend to more northerly winds this coming weekend, which will bring a drop in temperature.

However, how much cooler it will get is still uncertain. And, with the possibility of high pressure building back in quickly, it may not be long before parts of the UK return to heatwave conditions.

This also means that many areas will continue to see little or no rain.

You can stay up to date with the latest temperature trends on the BBC Weather app.