Andy Burnham will chair a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee on Wednesday in response to extreme heat, which has caused widespread wildfires and plunged many parts of the country into drought.
The Prime Minister will meet with ministers, officials and agencies as high temperatures continue across the UK on Wednesday afternoon, with temperatures of 33C forecast, and up to 38C on Thursday.
Ministers from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Home Office, and Department for Health will attend. The Environment Agency will also be present.
This is the second Cobra meeting this year on heatwaves, after a meeting in June.
A No 10 spokesman said: “The Prime Minister will chair a meeting of COBR – the government emergency committee – this afternoon on the UK’s ongoing response to extreme heat, wildfires and drought.
“We know how challenging this summer is proving, particularly for firefighters tackling wildfires, farmers working in drought conditions, and NHS staff in busy A&E units.
“We will continue to take the action needed to keep communities safe, protect water supplies and safeguard the environment.”
The Met Office warned that the UK is on course for the hottest summer on record, as parts of the country face their fifth heatwave.
Rare amber “extreme heat” warning have been issued for London and parts of the South East, East Midlands, East of England, West Midlands and South Yorkshire from 9am to midnight on Thursday.
And nearly three-quarters of England and all of Wales are in drought after long dry spells put pressure on Britain’s water resources.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski has repeatedly criticised the Prime Minister for not calling a crisis meeting to deal with the heatwave.
Last week, he urged Andy Burnham to call a Cobra meeting and described the heatwave as the “biggest threat to this country since the Second World War”.
“Extreme weather is now the new normal – and without action, the impact on the people of this country will be unimaginably grave,” he added.