A return-to-home plan has been put in place for those affected by the wildfires in Stourbridge, days after a blaze ripped through their livelihoods. West Midlands Fire Service declared a major incident on Thursday as a wildfire spread across more than 500 acres, destroying 19 homes in the market town. Emergency services now say the ‘apocalyptic’ blaze is ‘under control’.
Residents to meet with emergency officers
Locals affected by the Stourbridge fire have been invited to meet with emergency service officers who will outline ‘if further assessment needs to be made’ before they can be let back into their properties, or if they cannot return at all.
The fire service provided instructions to those who have been evacuated and said that alongside other agencies, it has worked ‘around the clock to bring the incident under control’.
National wildfire alert issued
On Friday evening, millions of people in England and Wales were startled to receive an alert on their mobile devices warning them of a ‘very high risk of wildfires nationally’. It came as a direct request from fire services, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging people to take it ‘seriously’, having already described Britain as a ‘tinderbox’ due to the ‘changing climate’. Actions also saw him implement a temporary ban on the sale of disposable barbecues, with the public instructed ‘not to light anything that could spark a fire, including barbecues, campfires, and fireworks’.
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said it has been ‘inundated’ with 999 calls since the emergency alert and urged people to help ‘keep our lines available for those who need urgent assistance’. This message was echoed by the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, which said on Saturday evening it had already received 736 calls compared to its usual average of about 300. It further urged people only to call 999 if there was a new incident to report.
Military support and ongoing fires
In the aftermath of wildfires in the region, 200 military personnel were deployed to assist civilian teams. They were sent from the Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment, supported by the 22 Engineer Regiment. According to the Ministry of Defence, its main task was to provide logistical support, such as water distribution, and help free firefighters and specialist responders to focus on frontline firefighting.
Deputy chief fire officer Adam Openshaw said he was ‘incredibly proud’ of everyone involved in the response to the major incident and thanked crews from across the UK who had come to support them. He added: ‘We know this is a challenging and worrying time for many people. I would like to thank our communities for their continued support throughout this time. Please be assured that we remain committed to protecting our communities and keeping the people of South Wales safe.’
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service were fighting a wildfire in the Rhandirmwyn area, near Llandovery, which it described as a ‘challenging and dynamic’ situation. The service said: ‘A helicopter is actively supporting firefighting operations by carrying out water drops on affected areas, helping crews suppress fire activity in challenging terrain and respond to areas of ongoing concern.’
Royal and official responses
The Prince of Wales shared a statement this weekend, thanking emergency responders for ‘working tirelessly’. Prince William wrote: ‘To the firefighters, emergency responders and volunteers battling wildfires across the UK, thank you. Our thoughts are with everyone affected, particularly those who have lost their homes, and with those working tirelessly to protect communities, homes and the countryside.’
The chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council, Phil Garrigan, has stressed that the service is currently ‘under significant pressure’ in the wake of 11 major incidents across the UK, naming Stourbridge as well as Sandwell, Pershore, and Stoke-on-Trent. ‘We’ve got incidents still raging in Hampshire, in South Wales,’ he noted on BBC Radio 4, describing recent days as ‘a particularly difficult, busy period’.
Temperatures are set to cool in the coming days, according to the Met Office, with cloudier, rainier conditions forecast. However, there is a question mark over how much rain there will be, which falls as 70% of England and all of Wales are officially in drought. Burnham has admitted that we must ‘face up’ to climate change, having ‘never seen anything like it’ when he visited Stourbridge. ‘There’s no point denying where we are,’ the PM said. ‘We need to face up to it. We need more clean energy.’
