Rising temperatures increase wildfire risks and workplace safety concerns

Rising summer temperatures are increasing environmental and occupational risks across different regions. In Malta and Gozo, extreme heat and dry conditions have heightened the risk of wildfires. A recent large grass fire in the Ta’ Gelmus area near Victoria, Gozo, was contained by the Civil Protection Department, but officials noted that Malta's status as a drought-prone Mediterranean nation makes it highly vulnerable to fires caused by dry vegetation and human negligence.

In the United Kingdom, unprecedented heatwaves are prompting calls for better workplace protections. While current regulations require employers to maintain ‘reasonable’ indoor temperatures, there is no legal maximum temperature defined in law. Labor organizations, including the TSSA and the TUC, are campaigning for a legal maximum working temperature to protect employees from the effects of the climate crisis, noting that extreme weather also impacts infrastructure safety, such as the railway sector.