What's happening?

Billy Bland was staring at a riverbed without water. He has lived near the River DerwentA river in Derbyshire, England. all his life. "This dry spell is earlier and longer than I can remember," he said.

ExpertsSomeone who knows a lot about a particular subject. say it is third year in a row that large parts of the river have dried out.

Very hot weather can kill the fish that normally live in the river. But it can also harm insects that live in the water and the otters and birds that hunt and swim there.

Plants and insects are also in trouble. Flowers dry out, so there is less nectarA sugary fluid within flowers to encourage pollination by insects and other animals, collected by bees to make into honey. and pollenA fine powder produced by flowers that fertilises other flowers. for bees and butterflies to eat.

DroughtsA time when there is not enough water and the ground is very dry. cost a lot of money and also make wildfires more likely.

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Hot weather can also be dangerous for humans. Old people and those who live in cities are the most at risk.

But there are things we can do to lower the risk. One is to increase the number of trees and lakes in cities.

Is this the new normal?

Yes! Weather experts say heatwaves are happening more often in Europe. And when they do happen, they are worse than before.

No! Weather is something that naturally changes a lot. Cooler summers are possible too. And not all hot weather is caused by climate changeLong-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Human action is a major cause of climate change..