Amber heat health alerts kick in across most of England ahead of fifth summer heatwave – latest news

Amber heat health alerts are now in effect across all regions of England, aside from the north eastFirefighters are beginning a third day of tackling a fire in the New Forest in Hampshire. Forestry England says the fire is under control but efforts to contain it could last for several days.Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, assisted by neighbouring services, initially scrambled 26 fire engines alongside water carriers to the eastbound A31 after receiving reports that a van had caught fire on Sunday evening.Crews have worked tirelessly throughout the night, a change in wind direction provided a challenge to the firefighting operations but thanks to the efforts of firefighters we are managing to contain the fire.We have been using a mix of fire engines and off-road vehicles to damp down and cool the edges of the area involved in the fire to prevent spread and escalation …Many farmers have completed the earliest harvest on record, with poor yields in key crops reported in some areas of the country. Livestock and dairy farmers are already using winter feed because grass has stopped growing, while growers are working hard to keep fruit and vegetables watered, but many are struggling to access the water they need. Continue reading...