Wildfire alerts issued as UK set to experience extreme weather Friday

The UK is set to experience a significant heat wave this week, with temperatures expected to reach 24C (75F), making it the hottest day of the year.

The Met Office forecast Friday will see temperatures peak in London and the southeast of England, while Thursday could see highs of 23C across the country.

Dan Stroud, a meteorologist at the Met Office, explained that the warm weather is well above the seasonal average, with temperatures expected to be around 10C higher than normal for this time of year.

"The average for this time of year is around 13C, so it's going to be about 10C above average on Friday," Stroud said.

The warm temperatures are due to high pressure above the UK, which is keeping weather fronts and clouds at bay, resulting in settled, dry conditions.

It follows a period of historically low rainfall, with England recording its sixth driest March on record, and Wales experiencing its fourth driest since records began in 1836.

The dry conditions have led to an increased risk of wildfires.

Firefighters are continuing to battle large blazes in Northern Ireland, while the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has issued "extreme" wildfire warnings for Thursday.

Areas at high risk include south-west, eastern, central, and northern Scotland.