A heat wave has hit the United Kingdom, and the high temperatures and lack of rain have put the country in a precarious position. According to The Independent, the Environment Agency is concerned that "up to five additional regions could potentially be declared drought zones in the next few months."

What's happening?

Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire, and Cumbria and Lancashire are all experiencing droughts. The three water companies in these areas have initiated hosepipe bans, which means residents can't water plants or their lawns. These droughts are due to "one of the U.K.'s driest springs on record," per The Independent.

The Environment Agency expects to see more regions issue hosepipe bans in the next couple of months if the U.K. doesn't receive 80% or more of its typical rainfall. These regions include the East Midlands, West Midlands, Thames Wessex, parts of Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, and East Anglia, as well as parts of the South Downs and the Solent.

The Environment Agency is working closely with water companies, which are following drought protocols.

Environment Agency Drought Manager Stuart Sampson said, per The Independent: "These are in a worse position than in any other droughts over the past 20 years."

Why are the growing droughts in the UK concerning?

In addition to being unable to water their lawns, farmers face restrictions on irrigating crops. Some farmers are reporting low-quality crops and lower yields.

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The warm temperatures are also causing fish die-offs and blue-green algae blooms, which are harmful to people using the water, pets, and the ecosystem.

The Independent reported that "scientists said the recent extreme conditions have been made more likely due to human-caused climate change, bringing wide-ranging impacts on farmers and the environment."

Tech investor and journalist Molly Wood explained this further in a blog post. She said that the warming temperatures are like steroids for the weather. So, while weather events were already going to happen, the higher temperatures are intensifying them.