The United Kingdom registered its highest temperature of the year on Thursday, hitting 38.1 degrees Celsius in western London, according to the national weather service, amid a prolonged period of scorching weather across Europe. The Met Office reported that the temperature exceeded the previous 2026 peak of 38 degrees Celsius recorded on June 26, although it remained below the UK’s August record of 38.5 degrees Celsius from 2003.
Both Britain and France are currently in the midst of their fifth heatwave this year, with the first one occurring in May. The recent extreme heat has led to a record-breaking four days in 2026 with temperatures reaching 36 degrees Celsius or higher, matching the two days in 2022 when temperatures hit 38 degrees Celsius.
In France, temperatures have soared even higher, nearing 41 degrees Celsius in several regions from Aquitaine in the southwest to the Rhone River valley in the east, as reported by the national weather service. The most intense heat is projected to move eastward away from Britain and France on Friday and gradually ease over the weekend.
This summer has highlighted the lack of adequate measures in both Britain and France to combat such extreme heat conditions. Air conditioning is notably scarce outside of commercial establishments and offices. In the UK, reports emerged of nurses collapsing from heat exhaustion due to the lack of proper cooling systems in hospitals, many of which are housed in older buildings.
The prolonged heatwave has also exacerbated drought conditions across Europe, leading to crop failures and depleted river levels, intensifying the strain on water resources for households, agriculture, and the environment. Southern Water in Britain has applied for a rare drought order in the south of England, aiming to restrict non-essential water usage by businesses to mitigate the impact of the exceptionally dry weather in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
With the landscape parched and no significant rainfall in sight, authorities in both Britain and France are on high alert for wildfires. In the UK, firefighters have been battling wildfires, including one in the New Forest in southern England. The number of wildfires recorded in England and Wales this year has reached 1,017, matching last year’s record-breaking total.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is considering implementing a ban on disposable barbecues to prevent further wildfires as the extreme heat persists in parts of the UK. Meanwhile, French firefighters are facing challenges following a demanding summer and are contemplating a strike to demand additional personnel and resources to tackle the escalating frequency of extreme weather events, including recent fires in regions like Pas-de-Calais and Brittany.