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Story summary
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham held a COBR meeting on 12 August 2026 to address extreme heat, drought and wildfires across the United Kingdom.
- The government is considering expanding tax-free investment allowances for farmers to build on-site water reservoirs.
- The Met Office warned the summer could become the hottest on record unless August cools unusually.
- NatWest will provide emergency loans to drought-affected farmers, though demand has not yet risen.
