The UK Met Office stated on the 13th that a preliminary temperature of up to 38.1°C was recorded at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in southwest London. This made the 13th the hottest day in the UK so far this year and the fifth hottest day on record in the country.
The Met Office said that this was the second time this year temperatures had reached 38°C. Previously, only in 2022 did the temperature reach 38°C twice within a single calendar year.
In addition, Pershore in Worcestershire, England, recorded a high of 38°C on the same day, and a total of 40 observation sites in central and southern England recorded temperatures not lower than 36°C.
The Met Office said that several temperature records have been broken this summer, and most areas in England and Wales are experiencing unusually dry conditions.
According to the BBC, a total of 1,017 wildfires have been recorded in England and Wales so far this year.