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Phones Alerted at 7pm
Millions of people across England and Wales received an emergency government alert on their mobile phones on Friday evening, with the alert beginning being sent at 7:00 PM local time, as British media reports cited the Prime Minister's Office.
“The alert began being sent at 7:00 PM local time”
The message urged residents not to light anything that could spark a fire, including barbecues, campfires, and fireworks, as part of fire-prevention measures tied to the UK’s emergency alert system.
In Stourbridge, West Midlands, a huge fire spread rapidly through grass and woodland on Thursday before damaging homes, and Prime Minister Andy Burnham told members of the public to take the warning seriously, adding it was triggered at the request of firefighters.
BBC reported that 19 homes were destroyed and a further 18 damaged in Stourbridge, while in Wales a major incident was declared near Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, after dozens of homes were evacuated and roads closed.
The alert also came as the government announced a temporary ban on the sale of disposable barbecues, saying they had been responsible for serious fires this summer, with Burnham warning the coming weekend could be difficult.
Tinderbox, Injuries, Evacuations
Burnham described the country as a “tinderbox” and said there were 37 fires currently burning across England and Wales, while the BBC said some of the worst-affected areas were cordoned off and many residents who were evacuated, including the Bishop of Dudley, the Right Reverend Martin Gorick, have not been able to return home.
Mike Davis, evacuated from his home in Stourbridge with his family, said they were told by police to leave and did not know whether their home would still be standing when they returned, describing “a hell of a scene… thick smoke and just something I’ve never seen before.”
Jane Baxter said she and her husband had only minutes to collect essential belongings before being told to leave, and she recalled that “within about four or five minutes the police knocked on the door again and said, You really have got to get out now.”
The BBC also reported that the fire threatened a nearby equestrian centre, with staff at the Sugarloaf Equestrian Centre rushing to rescue horses as flames approached, and Abbie Harvey said the heat was so intense they could feel it burning their legs.
In addition to the property damage, the BBC said six firefighters were taken to hospital due to smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion, and it noted that two people from Stourbridge were taken to hospital due to smoke inhalation.
What Comes Next
As the emergency alert and wildfire response continued, the government’s guidance focused on preventing new ignitions, with the alert telling residents, landowners and visitors not to undertake any activity that could start a fire, including disposable barbecues, firepits, garden incinerators or fireworks.
“working around the clock in incredibly difficult conditions”
In a statement reported by Bristol Live, Burnham said the request came directly from fire and rescue services that have been “working around the clock in incredibly difficult conditions,” and he urged people to take extra care during “this period of extreme heat.”
The BBC said investigators were working with other emergency services to establish how the Stourbridge fire started, with police saying they were keeping an open mind, while it also reported that a 55-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.
Reuters reported that the number of wildfires had exceeded last year’s total of 1,017, with Phil Garrigan, chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, saying “We’re only in the middle of August, and the wildfire season seems to extend way into November at this moment in time.”
Reuters also said Garrigan warned that the demands and requests for support had outstripped the capability of the UK fire and rescue service, and Burnham said he would hold a summit with emergency services to make sure they had the resources they needed.
