Britain's record-breaking heat is prompting a major rethink of how the country prepares for growing climate risks, as new mapping tools identify communities and infrastructure increasingly exposed to extreme temperatures.
The new climate-risk mapping is being used to highlight areas where homes, transport networks, public services, and vulnerable communities face the greatest pressure from heat and other environmental threats.
The warning comes after repeated heat extremes across the UK, including exceptional temperatures recorded during June, when more than 150 weather stations recorded their highest June maximum temperatures.
Scientists and climate advisers say hotter conditions are creating risks far beyond discomfort, affecting health, roads, railways, agriculture, water supplies, and energy systems.
The country's independent Climate Change Committee has identified heat, flooding, and drought as three of the UK's biggest climate risks, warning that the impacts will intensify without stronger adaptation measures.
Britain is also facing growing concerns over drought and wildfire risk, with dry conditions putting additional pressure on water supplies and landscapes.
The new mapping is intended to help authorities identify the areas most at risk and target resources where they are needed most.
As extreme heat becomes more frequent and intense, officials say adapting homes, infrastructure, and public services is becoming increasingly urgent to protect communities across Britain.
