Crews tackle wildfire at Edinburgh's Blackford Hill

Fire crews are tackling a wildfire at Blackford Hill in Edinburgh.The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said they were alerted after smoke was seen billowing across the area.Four engines are currently at the scene.The blaze comes as an extreme warning has been put in place for the weekend with the fire service urging the public to enjoy the outdoors responsibly.

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Daily Mail​

17 minutes ago

• Daily Mail​

Heatwave hell as passengers are 'slow cooked' on stuck trains for hours amid 34C heat - before being forced to walk down tracks to freedom

Terrified passengers had to be freed from stuck ThamesLink trains by police and were forced to walk down the tracks in sizzling 34C heat. Enraged customers travelling on the services say they felt like they were 'in an oven' and being 'slow cooked' as the services came to a halt 'no air conditioning' or ventilation. It is believed numerous trains were stopped due to faults, but a series of images shows one service heading for south London being evacuated. The operator confirmed on a social media post that their services were facing issues. They posted: 'Due to a fault on a train between London Blackfriars and Herne Hill, some lines are blocked. We're working to gather more information on this incident.' They added that their 'services across the network are experiencing significant disruption'. It comes as weather experts warned much of the UK could be soaked as soon as 5pm this evening. Met Office forecasters have warned that while record-breaking temperatures look set to be reached today, Britons should also prepare for a substantial downpour in the aftermath. This week has already seen thermometers surpass 30C across much of the UK, with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all recording their warmest days of the year on Friday. And that blistering heat has continued into today, which is the official end of spring. Thousands of people watched the sunrise over Stonehenge to celebrate the summer solstice this morning. Those who gathered for the spectacle at the neolithic monument in Wiltshire braved a warm start to the morning as they marked the year's longest day. Temperatures in Salisbury and Greater London reached 18C by 5am, according to the Met Office. The weather bureau confirmed that Yeovilton in Somerset and Crosby in Merseyside recorded the highest overnight temperatures in England, both reaching 19.7C by 6am on Saturday. Towns in Cumbria and Lancashire also recorded temperatures above 19C. An amber heat-health alert for all regions in England remains in place for the weekend, but a warning for thunder has been issued. Spanning the north Midlands to Northumberland, including north-east Wales, downpours, hail, lightning and gusty winds are predicted from 3pm today until the early hours of tomorrow. The Met Office warned of 'sudden flooding' which could see communities 'cut off', transport disruption and power cuts. The hot weather is poised to linger in the South and East through the weekend. An amber heat health alert – to warn healthcare providers – lasts until Monday. Elsewhere, temperatures are set to fall from tomorrow to the high teens or low 20s. It follows a World Weather Attribution (WWA) research group study published on Friday which found the heatwave has been made around 100 times more likely and 2-4C hotter due to climate change. Dr Garyfallos Konstantinoudis, lecturer at the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London, said: 'Heatwaves are silent killers - people who lose their lives in them typically have pre-existing health conditions and rarely have heat listed as a contributing cause of death. 'This real-time analysis reveals the hidden toll of heatwaves and we want it to help raise the alarm. 'Heatwaves are an underappreciated threat in the UK and they're becoming more dangerous with climate change.' An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25C to 28C in different parts of the UK. The Met Office confirmed that 'many places' in England and 'one or two areas' in Wales, including Cardiff, entered a heatwave on Friday. There will also be very high UV and pollen levels across the country on Saturday, the forecaster said. The amber heat-health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the first time since September 2023, is in force until 9am on Monday. It warns 'significant impacts are likely' across health and social care services because of high temperatures, including a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or people with health conditions. Following the hot weather, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) urged the public to take heat and water safety seriously. During 2022's heatwave, temperatures rose past 40C, leading to 320 people being treated in hospital. 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. 'Warm weather can also be deceptive when it comes to going for a dip. 'While the air may feel hot, water temperatures often remain dangerously cold, which can lead to cold-water shock, even in summer.'

Times

17 minutes ago

• Times

Solstice dawns as Britain basks in midsummer sunshine — in pictures

Thousands of people gathered at Stonehenge to celebrate the summer solstice as many parts of Britain basked in a heatwave on the longest day of the year. English Heritage estimated that 25,000 visitors took advantage of the warm weather to watch the sun rise at the neolithic monument near Salisbury, Wiltshire. Temperatures in Salisbury and London had already reached 18C by 5am. The Met Office said the heat would peak on Saturday before thunderstorms arrived in the evening. The UK's hottest day of the year was recorded on Thursday, with a peak of 32.2C in Kew and Heathrow in London. An amber heat health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency for the first time since September 2023, is in force until 9am on Monday.

The Independent

38 minutes ago

• The Independent

Flood warning for middle of heatwave as thunderstorms set to batter parts of UK

A yellow thunderstorm warning is in effect for northern England from Saturday evening until early Sunday, with potential for intense storms. These storms could bring frequent lightning, large hail, gusty winds, and localized flooding due to heavy rain on hard ground. Temperatures are forecast to reach up to 34C in some eastern English areas, potentially making Saturday the hottest day of the year. An amber heat-health alert covers all regions of England for the entire weekend, warning of significant impacts on health and social care services. Authorities advise the public to take heat and water safety seriously, as many areas in England and Wales have entered a heatwave.