AssetID: 55912206
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Andy Burnham To Chair Emergency Cobra Meeting Amid Extreme Heat
Caption: Andy Burnham To Chair Emergency Cobra Meeting Amid Extreme Heat. U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham will chair an emergency Cobra meeting as extreme heat fuels wildfires and drought across large parts of Britain. Ministers, officials and emergency agencies will discuss the response as temperatures are forecast to reach 33C on Wednesday and up to 38C on Thursday. The government said firefighters, farmers and NHS staff were facing mounting pressures from the prolonged hot and dry conditions. The U.K. has recorded 35 days reaching 30C this year, surpassing the previous annual record of 34 days set in 1995. Rare amber extreme heat warnings have been issued for London and several regions of England on Thursday. Firefighters have responded to more than 950 wildfires across England and Wales this year, including 185 during the first 10 days of August. Nearly three-quarters of England and the whole of Wales are in drought, increasing pressure on water supplies after exceptionally dry conditions. The government has announced £97 million to upgrade national firefighting capabilities, including specialist equipment and off-road vehicles. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Current Affairs & Politics,Andy Burnham,United Kingdom,Cobra,extreme heat,heatwave,wildfires,drought,Met Office,Fire Brigades Union,NHS,climate change,firefighters,England,Wales
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