Terrifying map shows UK 'turning to desert' as heatwave takes hold across entire country

dailystar.co.uk:

Britain slowly turning into a desert-like landscape amid the ongoing heatwave. Today (Thursday, August 11) the Met Office issued an amber "extreme heat" warning, in place until Sunday (August 14) and covering much of the southern half of England as well as parts of Wales.Met Office Chief Meteorologist Andy Page has warned that temperatures could reach 36C this weekend, with the national forecaster also raising its Fire Severity Index to its highest level for southern England.READ MORE: UK summer branded 'scary' by Met Office boss as we must brace for fires 36C heatwaveThe almost unprecedented conditions - in what is the UK's driest July since 1935 - have scorched the country, as evidenced by a map shared by James Cheshire, professor of geographic information and cartography at University College London’s geography department.Satellite images show that much of England's greenery has turned beige, yellow and even black in places. "The parched landscape is unlike anything I’ve seen before and a cloud free day today (August 10) has revealed the true extent of the drought," Cheshire said in a post on his website. "The South East has gone from green to yellow and now almost black such is the intensity of the drought. "With no significant rain in the forecast and more intense heat in the coming days, it's an image that is only going to get more shocking as the summer wears on."In total 64% of land in the EU and United Kingdom is currently under a drought warning or alert, according to data from the European Drought Observatory.

The renewal of heatwave conditions has also seen the return of wildfires in Europe, with 10,000 people now having been forced from their homes near the French city of Bordeaux.