Amber heat health alerts have been issued across parts of England, as hosepipe bans come into force in various locations amid the third heatwave of the summer.
The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA’s) latest heat health warning comes as hot and dry weather scorches England, with temperatures set to rise further over the weekend.
The alert comes into effect at 12pm on Friday and will cover the East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, South West, East of England and London until 9am on Monday, following two other amber alerts issued in consecutive weeks at the end of June amid two separate heatwaves.
Temperatures could reach 32C in parts of central and southern England on Friday, with the North East, North West and Yorkshire and Humber to be covered by a yellow heat health alert from midday.
The alerts warn of the potential for a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over, or with health conditions, because of the heat.
Households in Yorkshire were the first to be hit with a hosepipe ban after months of little to no rain, with restrictions following in Kent and Sussex.
Yorkshire Water brought in restrictions on using hosepipes for activities such as watering the garden, cleaning cars and filling paddling pools, which it said is part of its efforts to protect supplies in the face of yet more dry weather forecast for the coming weeks.
While South East Water said demand for drinking water in the counties had reached “record levels since May”, adding: “This situation has left us with no choice but to restrict the use of hosepipes and sprinklers, so we can help our reservoirs and underground water storage recover.”
Similar to its Yorkshire counterpart, it means customers are banned from using a hosepipe to water gardens and plants, clean vehicles, fill swimming pools or ponds or clean paths, walls or windows.
Customers who ignore the bans could face fines of up to £1,000.
Possible highs of 33C on Saturday mean the third heatwave will fall short of the top temperatures of 34.7C recorded earlier in July, but this heatwave will be more widespread, the Met Office said.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has urged people to drink water regularly, seek shade and use sunscreen.
Steve Cole, policy director at RoSPA, said: “Heat is no longer just a holiday perk, it’s a growing public health risk.
“We’re seeing more frequent and intense heatwaves, both in the UK and globally, and the data shows a clear rise in heat-related illness and fatalities.”
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