In the United Kingdom it is so hot that they have started wrapping their bridges with aluminum foil.

A 135-year-old Victorian bridge wrapped in albal paper to try to prevent it from overheating and cracking. It's the result of a timeless heatwave in the UK that has turned an unprepared country upside down. A weather phenomenon that is predicted to break all temperature records in its history.

No one is spared from the storm. In fact, in the United Kingdom, temperatures of up to 38ºC in London and 40ºC in the rest of the country are forecast. This would be the highest on record in the islands, where the UK Met Office has issued a "red warning for exceptional heat" for the first time in history.

To cure themselves of possible architectural problems that may arise from the heat, the engineers of the City of London have installed a sheet of silver insulation in the chains of Hammersmith Bridge to reflect the sun. Not only that, they have implemented an all-night cooling system. The aim is to keep the bridge pedestals safe so that it remains open to the public.

The situation is as follows: the bridge has four pedestal chains that are anchored to the riverbed. These supporting chains are maintained at 13°C, but if they should reach 18°C, the authorities would close the bridge because of a possible structural hazard, the board of engineers warned. "The safety of the public is our first priority," explained Sebastian Springer, who is leading the project.

This aluminum foil is part of a "pioneering temperature control system" valued at 450,000 euros, designed exclusively to keep the bridge at a "safe temperature". In reality, the problems go back a long way. In 2020, the structure was completely closed during August after high temperatures widened micro-fractures in its pedestals during a heat wave.

In addition, it should be mentioned that the Hammersmith, which dates back to 1887 (it is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the world), is also one of the most expensive to repair with an estimated cost of 130 million. The Ministry of Transport itself has already warned that it would not pay more than a third of the total repair costs. And so far, the first phase has already cost 8.9 million: just to stabilize those heat cracks. We'll see how the bridge suffers when the temperature records are broken.