To ask if this scoffing at the concern over the heatwave have changed their minds yet?

[DeadbeatYoda]

Just that really. I've just watched the news. The houses burning, the grass fires, the rail infrastructure buckling. Record temperatures in 29 locations today. Several areas exceeding 40 degrees. Do you still think it's 'hysteria' to take it seriously?

Maybe because people have been sensible & taken notice of the warnings not to travel unless necessary, and have looked out for elderly & vulnerable family & friends.

Would you prefer this wasn’t the case?

Well I haven’t seen the news today. Have thousands died?

What about the beach goers?

@DeadbeatYoda you can't argue with stupid. I dare say most who were saying it's no big deal are still saying 'well there weren't thousands laying dead in the streets' not bothering to think about care homes/hospitals/people living alone.

Hysteria doesn't help anyone, but all this 'snowflake, it's just a bit warm' stupidity is worse. Yes, extreme heat does kill people, especially in places that are not used to it and/or geared up for it. Even Spain is struggling. www.axios.com/2022/07/18/heat-wave-europe-death-toll

just pointing out it’s not a massive heatwave all over the U.K. temperature has been only slightly higher than usual today and it’s currently pouring with rain here.

I live in Yorkshire, we have multiple fields on fire near me and people being evacuated from their homes. It's been declared a major incident due to the pressure on the firs brigade, I certainly never remember anything like this before.

But I thought we were talking about the uk?

Just because you don't have a fire near you doesn't mean it is not happening. A local farmer has lost a lot today.

That's not how it works. It's often older people, more often women than men, more often women who live alone, who die from cardiovascular problems. Intense heat like this kills. It will take a while for the stats to be clear.

Sadly OP the "It's just summer/what about 1976 brigade" won't admit they might have been wrong.

This is climate change though. And it's extremely serious.

There were 20% excess deaths during the 76 heatwave. I found the whining about people talking about the weather far more irritating than anyone talking about it. It's not like anyone is forced to read every single mumsnet post. I just scroll past subjects I'm not interested in

a local farmer has lost his crop....he tackled it with his water bower and put it out at one side whilst fire brigade tackled the other

fires are covered by insurance or act of god?

Are you saying if the general public had have been more 'concerned' then this wouldn't have happened? If not then I don't really see why Joe bloggs has to waste his time full of 'concern'. I'm sure the appropriate people have plans in place. I don't see the need for everyone else to do anything much less post about their never ending concern all over mumsnet for the last week.

TBF many of those who might have health complications from the heat and potentially die, have possibly done so already from Covid in the past 2 years. And we'd need more data, over many years, to sort out the excess deaths data from everything.

I never scoffed. I've had heatstroke before (In Egypt) and know when to take it easy.

I am however raising the possibility of fires with my DDs, and saying what to grab if we're told one is heading our way and to evacuate (paperwork, phones, water, cats) and get in the car in minutes. Very light discussion as there aren't fires in our area at the moment, but we are in the Met Office exceptional fire risk area along with many of us as it's a big area

www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/fire-severity-index/#?tab=map&fcTime=1658228400&zoom=7&lon=-1.62&lat=52.63

But let's be honest. Our newspaper stories are often sensationalised, and it's down to what sells. 'Doctors advise drinking water, using sun cream, staying in the shade where possible' won't sell papers as well as 'Thousands could die!' Some get anxious or excited about those headlines, others roll their eyes. Both responses could be the correct one, you can't tell until afterwards.

the swimming deaths (theres a lot) over past 2 days are horrific, some have been kids who should have been in school

MN is a forum with lots of strong opinions which is as it should be.
However, some people are dismissive of others unless they have personally experienced it.
Covid, heat exhaustion, poverty, Sen etc.
Just because it doesn't affect you doesn't make it untrue.

To be fair op I was one of the people rolling my eyes going it is summer what do you expect we always have a few hot days
but I am in the SE and have had an awful day and there are uncontrollable fires, transport (public and cars) is impossible and the local supermarkets all their fridges and freezers have packed up there is a breeze but even the breeze is hot you cannot be out in it
so yes this is much worse than I thought

I think it's hysterical given that it's only going to last a couple of days!

If it were weeks then yes, I could understand it.

They didn't say will die, they said could. People have already died from the heat. But sure, roll your eyes at the bad bad media!

We get that a lot in wales

And hysteria helps how??????

Register the heat, mitigate where you can. Keep hydrated and

FFS Keep Calm and Carry ON

The current estimate is up to 1,000 excess deaths. Obviously as these are usually older people, we won’t know the full figures for a while:

news.sky.com/story/uk-heatwave-why-excess-deaths-spike-as-temperatures-rise-and-which-countries-are-best-equipped-12654950?DCMP=ilc-apple_news_story_readmore

Good on you - it’s rare on MN to see someone admit they were wrong! I admire it!

Good for you, that takes a lot. Sorry to hear you've had an awful day. I'm also in SE and it's been brutal. Take care.

it really is too warm. I do find it funny that my dog will go and lie down in the bathroom all day because that's the coolest room by far, but for some reason the humans wont even though it is clean I swear!