UK PM to chair emergency meeting on heatwaves, drought

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will chair a meeting of the government's emergency response committee on Wednesday (Aug 12) to discuss measures to tackle extreme heat, wildfires and drought, his office said, as Britain faces its fifth heatwave this year.Temperatures are likely to hit around 37°C from Thursday across southern and eastern England and parts of the Midlands, the country's meteorological office warned on Tuesday.Fire chiefs say they have responded to 966 wildfires across England and Wales this year, including 185 in the first 10 days of August alone, while the farming industry has warned of a hit to production."We will continue to take the action needed to keep communities safe, protect water supplies, support farming communities and safeguard the environment," a Downing St