Surrey staff step up during record-breaking heatwave

Temperatures reached a sweltering 35.7C

Last week, Surrey experienced its hottest ever June day, with Charlwood reaching a sweltering 35.7C. For only the second time, a red heat-health alert was issued in the UK, highlighting the serious risks that extreme heat poses to people’s health and wellbeing.

Despite the challenging conditions, Surrey County Council staff continued to deliver the vital services that residents rely on every day.

Our dedicated Adult Social Care teams worked tirelessly to support some of the most vulnerable people in our communities throughout the heatwave. Our reablement teams continued visiting residents across Surrey during the extreme heat, supporting people to regain their independence after a hospital stay or illness. Alongside their usual support, they shared practical advice on staying cool and hydrated during the hot weather.

Meanwhile, office-based colleagues made welfare calls to vulnerable residents to check they were coping with the heat and to offer guidance on staying safe and well. Adult Social Care teams also shared government guidance with care providers across Surrey, helping them take appropriate steps to keep the people they support safe during the soaring temperatures.

A heartfelt thank you goes to these teams. And to everyone who took the time to check in on family members, neighbours, and friends during the extreme weather.

Keeping Surrey safe

The prolonged hot and dry conditions also brought a very high wildfire risk across the county. Surrey Fire and Rescue Service worked hard to help keep residents, visitors and communities safe.

We can all do our part to reduce the risk of wildfires by:

• Avoiding barbecues, camping stoves and open fires in the countryside
• Extinguishing cigarettes and other smoking materials properly
• Taking rubbish home, as discarded bottles and glass can magnify sunlight and ignite dry vegetation

Working through the heat

The extreme temperatures did not stop our highways teams from carrying out essential work. In Godstone, crews were laying new kerbstones in temperatures approaching 35°C to keep the High Street repair project on track.

Our gritters were in action, too. We usually see them in the winter, but gritters play an important role during periods of extreme heat. Crews use them to treat road surfaces that can soften and become damaged in high temperatures.

To keep up with the latest Highway works in your area, sign up to our weekly Highways Update newsletter.

Behind the scenes, many other colleagues worked hard to ensure the services residents depend on continued to run smoothly. We’re incredibly grateful for the commitment, resilience and professionalism shown by staff across the council.

Looking ahead

As global temperatures rise, periods of extreme heat are expected to become more frequent. Surrey County Council is taking action to tackle climate change and reduce carbon emissions. We're committed to becoming a net-zero county by 2050, to planting more than one million trees, and to supporting more sustainable homes and communities.

Find out more about our work to address climate change on our website.

But even if we meet carbon reduction targets, we'll still need to adapt to our changing climate. Last week's heatwave shows how extreme weather is already affecting our infrastructure, public services, and communities.

That's why we're also taking action to build Surrey's resilience to climate change and to prepare for the impacts that are starting to be felt across the county. This includes schemes like the Warm Homes Local Grant that saves residents money while keeping their homes and families healthy.

Find out more about our work on climate change adaptation and resilience.