Matthew Malthouse wrote:
Tangentially why should this happen now and not in past
years? After
all it's far from being the first time we've had a
remarkably hot spell.

It has happened in past years, frequently. It is also a problem in other
countries, it's just that we don't get to here about it. I suspect also that
in other countries there is a more ready acceptance that natural events are
not always under man's control.

People have short memories and it is only "news" for as long as the media
wishes it to be.