Although temperatures will remain cooler than the record high of 40.3C (105F) seen last month, this latest hot spell is expected to last much longer. High pressure building across the UK could lead to temperatures of 35C (95F) – and the heat wave is expected to peak on Friday or Saturday. The UK Health Safety Authority (UKHSA) has issued a heat warning which runs from Tuesday to Saturday. There is a level 3 alert for southern and central England and a level 2 alert for the North. Level 4 is the most severe designation. The heat health alerts are designed to help inform health workers in England how to manage high temperatures. Level 3 “requires social and health care services to target specific actions at high-risk groups”. Britons are now being told not to host barbecues in dry conditions as they fear fireworks and sky lanterns could spark “large-scale” fires in parched areas. Retailers are also facing calls to ban sales of disposable barbecues. Find out the five-day forecast where you live Image: Pic: Essex County Fire and Rescue Service The Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which represents 28,000 farmers and landowners in England and Wales, has called on retailers to follow Marks and Spencer’s lead and ban the sale of disposable barbecues across the UK this the summer. “We’re asking them to help us protect farmland and natural habitats by not lighting barbecues, bonfires and other potentially hazardous materials such as sky lanterns,” said CLA President Mark Tufnell. In south-east England, where water suppliers have faced the most pressure so far, just 4.2mm of rain fell in July. This beats a record that has stood for 70 years, and by a huge amount – July 1952 had three and a half times as much rain as the previous month. On Saturday, 15 homes were evacuated after a garden fire raged out of control in Essex – with “numerous gardens, sheds and outbuildings” destroyed and a dozen properties damaged. About 40 people were displaced and seven needed treatment for injuries and smoke inhalation. Neil Fenwick, area manager for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, said: “While the summer weather usually provides the perfect opportunity to host a barbecue or gather around a fireplace in the evening, we strongly discourage people from having any kind of fire. in the moment.” The map below shows a measure of dryness called the Standardized Rainfall Index from the UK Center for Ecology and Hydrology for July and the previous 12 months. The whole of England and Wales is set to feel the effects of the heat wave as high pressure builds – “with sunshine and very warm if not hot” conditions in Scotland and Northern Ireland as the weekend approaches. Met Office forecaster Tom Morgan said: “It looks like a prolonged period of dry weather and obviously that’s bad news for the south of England where some rain would really be helpful now.” Read more: Top tips for saving water during the heatwave What uses the most water in our homes, where does our water come from and what happens during a drought? While there is uncertainty about which areas will see the hottest temperatures, early forecasts suggest they could be found in the West Midlands and West Country. Mr Morgan says the heatwave criteria are likely to be met across the UK – potentially putting a strain on the NHS as the most vulnerable face heat-related problems. “We’re very confident that the temperatures won’t go as high as July, but the difference is that this will be quite a prolonged period of temperatures in the low 30s, so it will be very noticeable nonetheless,” he added. . Tips to avoid overheating include closing curtains and windows during the day and avoiding the midday sun. Image: Map of points where water restrictions have been announced Ban on tires Over the weekend, Environment Secretary George Eustice “strongly urged” water companies across the UK to enforce the standpipe bans. Mr Eustice said some companies had already taken the “right” steps to mitigate the effects of the prolonged dry weather, as he encouraged others to follow suit. For now, Southern Water has imposed a mask ban on customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Temporary restrictions on water use are also due to come into force for South East Water customers in Kent and Sussex from August 12, with similar rules announced by Welsh Water for Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire later this month.