The meeting comes during the fifth heatwave of the summer in parts of the UK, with temperatures forecast to reach 33C on Wednesday and potentially 37C or 38C on Thursday. The Government says the conditions are placing pressure on firefighters, farmers, health services, water supplies and national infrastructure, while an amber heat health alert remains in force across England until Friday evening.
Disposable Barbecues Come Under Scrutiny as Wildfire Numbers Rise
Burnham said during a visit to Stevenage that a ban on disposable barbecues was something the Government was “certainly going to consider”. According to The Guardian, the Prime Minister said many recent wildfires had been caused by disposable barbecues and urged the public not to use them outdoors while conditions remain dry.
“There is obviously a significant problem of wildfires in the south,” Burnham said, referring to the New Forest fire and recent incidents in Suffolk and northern areas. He also warned people to take care with cigarettes and other potential sources of ignition in the countryside.
The number of wildfire incidents has risen sharply this year. According to figures from the National Fire Chiefs Council, firefighters have responded to 966 wildfires across England and Wales in 2026. Of those, 185 occurred during the first 10 days of August, while July recorded 458 incidents, making it the busiest month on record for wildfires.
At Dunwich Heath in Suffolk, more than 100 hectares of heathland have been destroyed by a fire that began nearly two weeks ago. The National Trust has asked people to stay away while the site is assessed, citing remaining hotspots, unstable trees and damaged cliffs. Several major supermarkets have also stopped selling disposable barbecues. Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Co-op have suspended sales, while Aldi, Lidl, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer have not sold them since 2022.
Extreme Heat Adds Pressure to Water, Transport and Power Systems
The Met Office has issued an amber extreme heat warning for Thursday across parts of England, including areas of the Midlands, eastern England, London, the South East and Yorkshire and the Humber. According to reports, temperatures could reach 38C, with the Met Office saying there is also an outside chance that the UK’s August temperature record of 38.5C could be exceeded.
The heat is coinciding with widespread drought. More than 70 per cent of England has been declared in drought, while Southern Water has applied for a rare non-essential use restriction that could prevent businesses from filling non-domestic swimming pools and carrying out some other activities. The company said 165,000 people in the Southampton West supply area could soon face significant disruption.
Transport and energy systems are also being affected. National Rail has warned passengers to check journeys as heat can cause rails to buckle and overhead lines to sag, leading to speed restrictions, delays and cancellations.
The National Energy System Operator has also called for extra electricity supply or reduced demand during Wednesday evening. The request coincides with a solar eclipse expected to cut solar generation while high temperatures increase electricity demand.
Burnham’s Cobra meeting will bring together ministers and agencies involved in the response to heat, drought and wildfires. It will be the second Government emergency meeting focused on heatwaves this year, following one held during high temperatures in June.
