Revealed: England’s June 2026 heatwave sparked record demand for ambulances
Data obtained by Carbon Brief reveals that England's June 2026 heatwave caused record-breaking demand for ambulance services, surpassing levels seen during the Covid-19 pandemic. The extreme heat triggered red alerts and highlighted the strain on emergency healthcare infrastructure.
Why it matters
This report underscores the direct impact of climate change on public health systems and the necessity for emergency services to adapt to extreme weather events.
Share All the ambulance services in England experienced some of their busiest-ever days during this summer’s record-breaking June heatwave, according to data obtained by Carbon Brief.
In June, temperatures climbed past 37C in parts of the country as authorities declared only the second ever “ red ” extreme heat warning.
Four out of 10 NHS ambulance services, including London’s, responded to unprecedented numbers of life-threatening emergencies on at least one day from 23-27 June.
Another two services – in the south-west and east of the country – received their highest volume of 999 calls on record.
Ambulance services provided data on their busiest days since records began, in response to freedom-of-information (FOI) requests from Carbon Brief.
The results show how demand during the June heatwave exceeded levels seen during the traditionally busy winter season in other years – and even the height of the Covid-19 pandemic – for many services.
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