A wildfire victim in Stourbridge has said they were "scared to death" after witnessing what they called "apocalyptic" scenes, as blazes continue to cause devastation across the country. The fires tore through 40 acres of land, destroying around 19 homes and leaving families with nothing.
Massive response to tackle the blaze
At the height of the chaos, 120 firefighters were scrambled to battle the flames, with investigators now probing the cause of the destruction. BBC Breakfast took cameras to the wreckage, where one woman said she had lost all memories of her mum, who died last year, to the fires.
Simon Marker, from Stourbridge Golf Club, said: "I'm scared to death to be honest. I mean it was about protecting people first and I'm so thankful no-one has been seriously hurt. The sky went black because the smoke blocked out the sun. It was apocalyptic."
Emergency alert issued nationwide
Reporter Amy Cole, broadcasting live from the scene, called the disaster a "catastrophe on an epic scale". The crisis escalated when an emergency alert was sent to mobile phones across England and Wales, warning of a "very high risk of wildfires nationally" and urging people to avoid anything that could spark a flame.
BBC Breakfast viewers shared their heartbreak for those affected, with one person demanding: "Put those people in hotels free of charge". Prime Minister Andy Burnham was pictured at the scene, speaking with emergency services and urging the public to take the warnings seriously.
Heatwave conditions fuel the crisis
The fires come as the UK sees its fifth heatwave of the year draw to a close, with parched conditions creating a perfect storm for wildfires to ignite and spread rapidly. BBC Breakfast airs daily at 6am on BBC One.
