LONDON, June 26 -- England's third consecutive red heat health alert expires at 11pm tonight across six regions, marking only the second such declaration in British history. Gosport, Hampshire hit 36.1degC on Wednesday, breaking the UK June temperature record set in 1976. Three tropical nights above 20degC have left the elderly and chronically ill physiologically depleted. The UKHSA and NHS are on emergency footing. Climate scientists estimate the event was made approximately 100 times more likely by anthropogenic climate change.

Three nights of temperatures that refused to fall below 20degC have left the people most vulnerable to heat already physiologically depleted before Friday even reached its peak: the elderly, those living with he...