The United Kingdom experienced its highest temperature of the year on Thursday, hitting 38.1 degrees Celsius in west London, according to the national weather service. This hot spell continued to affect Europe. The Met Office confirmed that this temperature exceeded the previous high for the year of 38 degrees Celsius recorded on June 26, but it remained below the UK’s August record of 38.5 degrees Celsius set in 2003.
Both Britain and France are currently facing their fifth heatwave of the year, with the first one occurring in May. The latest heatwave in 2026 has marked a record four days with temperatures of 36 degrees Celsius or higher and matched 2022 with two days reaching 38 degrees Celsius.
France saw temperatures climb even higher, nearing 41 degrees Celsius in various 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 expected to shift eastward away from Britain and France on Friday, with a decrease anticipated over the weekend.
The ongoing summer has exposed the lack of readiness in both Britain and France to handle such high temperatures. The absence of widespread air conditioning outside of commercial establishments and offices has been noted. In the UK, nurses have suffered from heat exhaustion while working in hospitals, many of which are housed in old buildings lacking adequate cooling systems, according to the Royal College of Nursing.
The dry conditions in Europe have resulted in widespread drought, leading to crop failures and depleted rivers, putting stress on water resources for households, agriculture, and the environment. Southern Water in Britain has applied for a rare drought order to restrict non-essential water use due to an exceptional lack of rain that has imperiled supplies in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The Environment Secretary will make a decision on this application, potentially the first such ban since May 2006.
With no substantial rainfall in sight and the land drying up, authorities in Britain and France are on high alert for wildfires. In the UK, firefighters have been battling a wildfire in the New Forest in southern England. England and Wales have already recorded 1,017 wildfires this year, matching last year’s record-breaking total, though not at the scale witnessed in other countries like France, Greece, and Spain.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is contemplating a ban on disposable barbecues to prevent further wildfires amid the ongoing extreme heat in parts of the UK. French firefighters are also facing challenges after a challenging summer and are considering strike action to demand additional staff and resources to cope with the increasingly severe weather events.