Heatwave to hit the county again as people warned to take care
The county is braced for its latest heatwave this week, with people again being warned to take care in the sunshine.
Health officials have cautioned people about the impact of the heat, while the fire service has also urged the public to take particular care to avoid accidentally starting grass and wildfires.
It comes after figures showed that the county is one of those most at risk for wildfires due to the long periods of dry weather over the past few weeks.
The impact can be seen in local reservoirs which are lower than this time last year, with the shoreline of Lake Vyrnwy more and more visible.
However, Severn Trent has said that it does not expect any restrictions on water use, but added that it is monitoring the situation.
A spokesman said: “Our region has seen a dry start to the year, only seeing 67 per cent of the rainfall usually expected between April and June.
"However, there hasn’t been a hosepipe ban in our region for more than 27 years – since 1995, and as we do every year, we continue to monitor reservoir levels and demand for water closely.
"We’d like to thank all of our customers for their support in being mindful about non-essential water use as the warm and dry weather continues into the summer."
Liz Noakes, Telford and Wrekin's Director for Public Health, urged people to take the temperatures seriously, and look after pets.
She said: “I hope everyone will be enjoying the hot weather this week, but with temperatures expected to rise to around 30°C, please make sure you do so safely.
"Drink plenty of fluids, dress appropriately for the weather, wear sun cream and plan ahead your journeys, to stay away from the midday sun, if you can.
"Hot weather can be challenging for lots of people. If you can, make sure to take care of people from your family or friends who might be at higher risk of ill health from overheating – such as older people, people with long term health conditions, young children who may need help keeping cool.
"And don’t forget to keep your pets safe as well. Thank you.”
Jan Morris area manager at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, asked people to "please be careful this week".
She urged people to be cautious when getting rid of cigarettes, and to avoid using disposable barbecues.
Writing on Twitter she said: "Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service are in the second highest area at risk of wildfires due to prolonged dry spells & high temperatures.
"Please be careful when discarding cigarettes etc & avoid the use of disposable BBQs."
The MET Office has said that today is expected to see rising temperatures, with the highest at 27C in Ludlow at 7pm – then again at 29C on Wednesday afternoon.
Thursday will see the heat rise further still, with most of the county including Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Telford set to swelter at 28C or 29C, while Ludlow could even break the 30C barrier.
Ludlow and Bridgnorth could both experience 30C on Friday, while other towns including Newport and Whitchurch are expected to lag just behind at 29C.
