The warning phase of the High Heat and Ozone Peaks Plan has been activated from Thursday, Belgium’s Interregional Environment Cell, CELINE, announced in a press release.
According to forecasts from the Royal Meteorological Institute, IRM, temperatures will exceed 28°C at the Uccle reference station from Friday.
Highs of up to 27°C are expected in Belgium on Thursday. Over the next few days, maximum temperatures will range from 25°C to 30°C, and even 31°C locally, over the north of the country, the IRM predicts.
Over the next few days, concentrations of ozone, an air pollutant that is harmful to health, will rise. They should not, however, exceed the European information threshold of 180 µg/m3, above which the population is called to be vigilant.
The warning phase serves primarily to inform the general public and health and personal care professionals, so that they can be particularly vigilant and make sure to check drinking water supplies, the ambient temperature inside buildings, etc.
It is also advisable to pay attention to loved ones and isolated individuals, especially if they belong to a sensitive group such as the elderly, the chronically ill, babies and children.
