As summer holidays kick off, over six million travelers are hitting the roads, facing scorching 30C heat and heavy traffic congestion. The AA estimates that 6.3 million journeys will be made by Thursday. Health alerts for high temperatures are widespread, with concerns raised by the UK Health Security Agency about potential impacts on health services and vulnerable individuals.
The Port of Dover is preparing for its busiest weekend of the summer, with long queues already forming for ferries. Border control wait times at Dover have reached up to 60 minutes, causing delays for holidaymakers. Officials are optimistic that this weekend’s traffic will be smoother compared to the previous half-term break, where technical issues led to significant delays.
Motorists are advised by RAC’s Simon Williams to anticipate heavy traffic and plan their journeys accordingly, suggesting early or late departures to avoid congestion. Staying home this week presents its own challenges, with hosepipe bans affecting millions in the UK and a drought declared in parts of north and mid-Wales.
The dry spell extends to central, southern, and eastern England, nearing drought conditions. However, relief may be on the horizon as rain is forecasted from Sunday, particularly in the north and west regions. Southern England may see limited rainfall, with expectations of a return to warm or hot weather next week.
In South-West France, wildfires have forced the evacuation of thousands, including British holidaymakers from the Cap Ferret peninsula. The fires have ravaged around 10,000 hectares, prompting a significant evacuation effort. Firefighters are battling blazes in various regions, with smoke engulfing the skyline in some areas.
Other parts of Europe are also grappling with wildfires, as Spain declares a national emergency due to fires near Madrid, and Sicily in Italy is impacted as well. The severity of these wildfires underscores the ongoing challenges posed by extreme weather events across the continent.