Queen's guard receives water to drink outside London's Buckingham palace amid heatwave

Much of Europe is baking in a heatwave with wildfires raging across tinder-dry countryside in Portugal, Spain and France.

A picture of a member of Queen Elizabeth II's guard receiving water to drink during the hot weather outside Buckingham Palace in London on Monday is going viral amid the heatwave that has pushed temperatures into the mid-40s Celsius in some regions of Britain.

Much of Europe is baking in a heatwave with wildfires raging across tinder-dry countryside in Portugal, Spain and France.

A member of the Queen's Guard receives water to drink outside Buckingham Palace in London, with Britain on course for its hottest day on record https://t.co/bb4Th0gZBh @John_Sib pic.twitter.com/9wfBySVbC9

A first-ever red “extreme heat” warning for parts of England on Monday and Tuesday has been issued by the weather forecaster and a national emergency has been declared for the two days. Britain had recorded its highest ever temperature on July 25, 2019 and it was 38.7 degrees Celsius.

The heatwave has forced the train companies to cancel services and some schools to close, while ministers urged the public to stay at home. London's metro network imposed temporary speed restrictions, meaning it would run a reduced service with journeys taking longer than normal. It urged commuters to stay at home, according to Reuters.

On Sunday, authorities across southern Europe battled to control huge wildfires in these countries, with hundreds of deaths blamed on soaring temperatures that scientists say are consistent with climate change.

Also, Britain's Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has raised the heat health warning to Level 4 for England for Monday and Tuesday, news agency Reuters reported. A Level 4 red alert is defined as a national emergency, and is used when a heatwave "is so severe and/or prolonged that its effects extend outside the health and social care system. At this level, illness and death may occur among the fit and healthy, and not just in high-risk groups."