UK set for warmest day of the year so far amid wildfires alert

The UK could see its warmest day of the year so far, with temperatures higher than European holiday hotspots, after firefighters battled wildfires across the country.

Much of the country will be dry and sunny on Friday, and some parts of central England may hit 24C as weather “nearer to what we’d expect in July” continues, the Met Office said.

The highest temperature recorded so far this year was 21.3C in Northolt, west London, and Chertsey, Surrey, on March 20.

It means the country is expected to be warmer than Marbella and Ibiza in Spain, Mykonos in Greece and even Los Angeles in California, according to Met Office forecasts.

Southern England hit highs of 20.7C on Thursday, while Achnagart in the Scottish Highlands reached 20.1C.

Eastern areas of the country were cooler due to easterly winds over the North Sea.

The Met Office said on social media: “Temperatures (on Thursday) have been nearer to what we’d expect in July in some inland and western areas, but conversely a chilly easterly breeze has kept many eastern coastal regions much colder.”

The average temperature for this time of year is around 12C in England and 10C in Scotland.

Forecaster Dan Stroud said: “We’ve got an area of cloud and showery outbreaks of rain moving northwards across south-west England and parts of Wales overnight tonight and into tomorrow.

“So that will bring some welcome rain for small parts of the country, but much of the country is looking at another fine and dry spring day tomorrow with a lot of warm sunshine on offer, although still holding on to those cool temperatures near the east coast.

“But one thing we are expecting tomorrow is for temperatures to creep up into 23C or maybe the odd isolated 24C, so potentially the warmest day of the year so far.”

It comes as firefighters have been tackling major blazes in Scotland and Dorset.

There have been a series of blazes in recent days (Hayleigh Carter/PA). PA Media

Mr Stroud said wildfires have hit the country after a dry period in March.

In Scotland, crews have been fighting a large grass fire at Gartur Moss in Port of Menteith, Stirling.

The alarm was raised around noon on Wednesday and four fire engines remained at the scene on Thursday morning.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said the blaze stretched half a kilometre.

It added that a “very high to extreme” risk of wildfire remains across the country until Monday and urged the public not to light fires outdoors.

Crews have already extinguished a wildfire near Bonhill in West Dunbartonshire and another in the Kilpatrick Hills near Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, earlier this week.

Moors Valley Country Park on the Dorset-Hampshire border will remain closed after being hit by multiple wildfires since Monday.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) said crews were called to the park again on Wednesday after more hotspots were discovered during a reinspection near Ringwood.

Several hectares of woodland have been destroyed. No injuries have been reported.

Firefighters responded to two more major wildfires in Dorset overnight.

The first broke out at Upton Heath, near Poole, just before 11.45pm on Wednesday, spreading across more than 37 acres.

Crews were then called to a blaze at nearby Canford Heath at around 5.30am on Thursday, which covered six acres.

DWFRS said both fires had been brought under control by 7am, with crews continuing to damp down hotspots.