The government has defended its decision to use the emergency alert system to warn about the risk of wildfires last week, after facing backlash in the days since. An emergency alert was sent to phones across England and Wales on Friday evening, marking the widest use of the system so far outside of pre-planned tests.
Government defends alert as 'entirely right use'
Prime Minister Andy Burnham's official spokesperson said that it was an "entirely right use" of the emergency alert system, after criticisms that the warning was over the top. Senior Conservative Chris Philp has criticised it as a "misuse" of the system, and domestic abuse charities have warned that victims could have been put at risk of perpetrators finding hidden phones.
But the Government has said this was an "emergency situation", as large parts of England and all of Wales are in drought and there are ongoing concerns about further fires. On Monday, the prime minister's official spokesperson said sending the alert was 'entirely right use', when questioned on why it was sent.
Wildfire incidents and public response
On the day the alert was sent, the government said that fire crews had been tackling 43 wildfires, with 11 major operations that required military support. After the alert was issued, Andy Burnham urged the public to take the warning "seriously", and said it was triggered at the request of firefighters.
The alert came as a total of 1,132 wildfires have now been recorded across England and Wales in 2026 so far, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council.
Fire chiefs urge continued vigilance
Phil Garrigan, chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council, said: "This has undoubtedly been an incredibly tough period for fire and rescue services, but we are beginning to see incident numbers reduce and that is welcome news.
"I want to pay tribute to the outstanding dedication and professionalism of firefighters, fire control room teams and all those supporting the response behind the scenes. For weeks they have worked tirelessly in exceptionally challenging conditions, often responding to multiple incidents simultaneously, to protect lives, homes, businesses and our natural environment.
"It has also been fantastic to see how the public have responded following Friday’s emergency alert and the support they have shown their local fire and rescue services. People have listened to the advice, taken sensible precautions and helped reduce the risk of further fires at a time when emergency services have been under immense pressure.
"But we are not out of this yet. Conditions remain exceptionally dry in many parts of the country and it only takes one spark to start a serious wildfire. We have seen first-hand the devastating consequences these fires can have for communities, wildlife and property. I would therefore urge everyone to remain vigilant, continue to follow public safety advice and avoid any activity that could start a fire.
"The progress we are seeing is encouraging, but continued public support and responsibility will be critical in the days ahead as firefighters and fire control teams continue their work to keep communities safe."
