AN AMBER weather warning of extreme heat could be extended to cover more parts of Scotland, the government has said.
Justice Secretary Keith Brown, who attended the UK Cobra emergency committee on Saturday, urged the public to take "basic precautions."
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for extreme heat across much of southern Scotland on Monday and Tuesday.
Areas, including eastern parts of Dumfries and Galloway, much of the Scottish Borders and parts of East Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and Midlothian, could see temperatures as high as 30C.
While these will be the hottest parts of the country, there will likely be high temperatures across much of Scotland, including up the east coast to the Moray Firth.
The Met Office said the hot spell could lead to “widespread impacts on people” including “adverse health effects” being experienced “by those vulnerable to extreme heat.”
The wider population is “likely to experience some adverse health effects including sunburn or heat exhaustion (dehydration, nausea, fatigue) and other heat related illnesses.”
They have also warned that as more people are likely to visit coastal areas, lakes and rivers in a bid to cool down this could lead to “an increased risk of water safety incidents.”
Meanwhile, train firms have warned passengers to avoid travelling on Monday and Tuesday unless their journey is “absolutely necessary”.
The Scottish heatwave is still relatively cool compared to the forecast south of the border, where a national emergency has been declared with the Met Office issuing their first red extreme heat warning.
Temperatures in areas including London Manchester and York could hit 40C at the start of next week.
Mr Brown told BBC Scotland: "It's getting close to the hottest weather we've had in Scotland.
"We have no indication a red warning will be issued, but we do think it's possible that the amber warning could be extended to a larger area than was previously expected."
He said: "We're asking people to take cover and keep out of direct sun, make sure you're well hydrated, and look after others who may be suffering from the heat.
"All public services - police, fire, water and health services are making sure they stand ready - we're asking people to make sure they are ready too and take basic precautions."
Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has said people should be resilient enough to be able to “enjoy the sunshine” during the coming days.
He told Sky's Sophy Ridge programme: “Obviously there is some common sense practical advice we are talking about – stay hydrated, stay out of the sun at the hottest times, wear sun cream – those sorts of things,” he told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme.
“We ought to enjoy the sunshine and actually we ought to be resilient enough through some of the pressures it will place.”
Asked if people should consider working from home, Mr Raab said: “That is for employers to consider and people to decide.
“I’m not going to start dictating things like that. But obviously we have got more flexible working. So that will also help with this kind of thing.”
The extreme heat and strong winds have led to a spate of wildfires in parts of Europe.
Some of the worst fires have been in Portugal, where the pilot of a firefighting plane died on Friday when his plane crashed on an operation in the north east.
It was the first fatality in fires in Portugal this year, which have injured more than 160 people and forced hundreds to be evacuated from towns this week.
Some 3,000 firefighters backed by water-dumping planes are battling blazes in southern France, the president said, and Greece sent firefighting equipment to help.
More than 11,000 people have been evacuated from villages and campgrounds.
The biggest fire in the region started in the town of Landiras, south of a valley of Bordeaux vineyards.
Across the border, Spain was struggling to contain several fires, including two that have burned about 7,400 hectares (18,200 acres).
According to Spain’s Carlos III Institute, which records temperature-related fatalities daily, 237 deaths were attributed to high temperatures from July 10-14.
That was compared to 25 temperature-related deaths the previous week.
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has come under fire for skipping the Cobra meeting, instead staying at Chequers where he is due to host a thank you party for supporters on Sunday.
The UK Government’s response was led by Cabinet Office minister Kit Malthouse.
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said the Prime Minister was “missing in action”.
“The public will have no confidence in this zombie Conservative government responding swiftly and decisively to this national emergency as this disgraced prime minister prepares to party while Britain boils,” she said.
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