Urgent UK wildfire warning as firefighters tell of 'disaster waiting to happen'
dailyrecord.co.ukFirefighters have warned Britain being "unprepared" for a heatwave is a "disaster waiting to happen". Wildfires have devastated parts of Europe in recent weeks, with Greece, Spain and Italy affected.The fires - which left five people including two firefighting pilots dead - raged during three successive Mediterranean heatwaves.
They also triggered a huge evacuation of tourists on the island of Rhodes over the weekend.The UK has dodged record-breaking temperatures so far this summer.
But forecasters predict hot air masses will send temperatures into the 30s if an anticipated southerly jet stream moves our way.The Mirror reports that is set to happen between August 10 and August 13.
It comes a year after 40C temperatures were recorded in the UK for the first time ever. The hot, dry summer of 2022 saw wildfires destroying houses and trees withering in the heat.And the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) is now calling for a UK-wide wildfire strategy, saying an average of 23 fire engines are sitting idle in the capital every day due to staffing cuts.Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack said: "One year on from the devastation of last summer’s wildfires, cuts are still leaving the fire service unprepared."This is putting lives and homes at risk.
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