Prime Minister Andy Burnham has implemented a nationwide ban on disposable barbecues amid concerns that celebrations by school-leavers may have sparked numerous wildfires. The ban comes as 37 fires continue to rage across the country, with four declared major incidents. Residents are facing significant losses after entire streets were consumed by flames during the hottest day of the year.
In Stourbridge, investigators are examining whether a barbecue contributed to a blaze that destroyed 19 homes on Quarry Park Road, a street where properties are valued at approximately £1 million. Residents surveyed the charred remains of their homes as firefighters continued to battle blazes. In the West Midlands, two individuals were arrested on suspicion of arson following a fire that affected four houses in Stoke-on-Trent.
Burnham urged the public to exercise caution, stating, "Britain is a tinderbox right now. Setting a fire in any outdoor setting, of any kind, is a risk to other people's homes, to other people's lives. Please don't do it." He warned that the current challenges are "far from over" and anticipate a difficult weekend. Fire officials are also investigating whether student celebrations, including videos of coursework being burned, are linked to the fires, though no direct evidence has been found.
The Prime Minister announced that 100 military personnel have been deployed to assist with a wildfire in South Wales. Plans are also underway to commission firefighting planes, similar to those used in Europe and the United States, to combat the spread of wildfires. He noted that a recent emergency meeting had warned of the potential for floods in the autumn and winter following the dry conditions.
Retailers have been instructed to cease selling disposable barbecues, which Burnham identified as a potential risk to the public, although he acknowledged that not all fires could be attributed to them.
In the West Midlands, up to 30 properties were reportedly destroyed, according to a local Labour Member of Parliament. The West Midlands Fire Service confirmed that 19 houses were destroyed and 18 damaged. Drone footage captured the extent of the blaze, which threatened numerous other properties.
Approximately 100 firefighters worked to contain an inferno near Stourbridge Golf Course that scorched 40 acres of land. Residents described ash falling like snow, and the club chairman noted the alarming shifts in wind direction.
In Stourbridge, flames spread rapidly from house to house, forcing residents to flee. One resident recounted seeing flames from her bedroom window before being instructed to evacuate. Neighbors attempted to fight back the flames as they spread through gardens and engulfed homes, with one recalling how the fire spread "in seconds."
Fifty-four people were injured in the West Midlands fires, with 19 requiring hospitalization. The country has seen an increase in "firewaves" in recent years. During the July 2022 heatwave, which saw temperatures exceed 40C, the London Fire Brigade experienced its busiest day since World War II, with fires destroying 37 buildings in east London.
Emma Howard Boyd, chair of the Independent National Heat Risk Commission, expressed concern that progress in managing heat risks since the 2022 heatwave has been limited and called for central government coordination to address the situation.