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Nationwide wildfire phone alert
The Government sent an emergency alert to mobile phone users across England and Wales on Friday evening, beginning to appear on devices from 7pm, warning that there is a very high risk of wildfires nationally.
“began appearing on mobile devices from 7pm”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the alert was sent at the request of fire services that have been "working around the clock in incredibly difficult conditions" and urged residents not to light anything that could spark a fire.
The alert text told people: "Residents, landowners and visitors should not undertake any activity that could start a fire, including disposable barbecues, firepits, garden incinerators or fireworks."
The warning followed major blazes including a wildfire in Stourbridge in the West Midlands where 19 homes were completely destroyed, and Burnham visited Stourbridge earlier to meet residents affected by wildfire damage and thank firefighters and emergency responders.
Heat, bans, and firefighting
Alongside the phone alert, the U.K. imposed a temporary ban on the sale of disposable barbecues, with the government saying retailers had been informed that disposable barbecues must be removed from sale immediately.
NBC News reported that Burnham warned, "Britain is a tinderbox right now," as he visited the scene of a fire in Stourbridge that destroyed 19 homes, and it said drought conditions and a prolonged heat wave brought temperatures in excess of 38 degrees Celsius.
Reuters said the number of wildfires had exceeded last year's total of 1,017 and that Garrigan warned the wildfire season could extend into November, while Burnham told the public: "This is not over by any means. We've got 37 fires smouldering around the country."
In Stourbridge, the West Midlands Fire Service said 19 homes were fully destroyed and an additional 18 damaged, and the Guardian reported temperatures reached record highs of 38.1C during the country’s fifth consecutive heatwave.
Public guidance and response
The Government’s alert told residents to follow official updates and report signs of fire immediately, and it also included a call to action to report signs of fire by calling 999.
“the most extensive use of the UK’s emergency alert system in response to an active incident”
Edp24 said the message appeared on mobile devices as "the most extensive use of the UK’s emergency alert system in response to an active incident," and it quoted Cabinet Office minister Louise Haigh saying the decision reflects the seriousness with which the Government is acting to safeguard people and property.
In the West Midlands, Reuters reported that rescue services were battling to keep up with rising risks a day after fires raced from tinder-dry fields to engulf houses on the hottest day of the year, while the Independent said residents were told to "stay away" from their homes as firefighters worked to tackle the blaze.
The Independent also reported that 19 people were taken to hospital and that a major motorway was forced to close temporarily, while Reuters said the wildfire season was already at record levels and that the demands on fire and rescue services had outstripped capability.
