Wildfires swept through residential streets and grasslands across the United Kingdom on Thursday, forcing evacuations and destroying homes as the country experienced its hottest day of the year. Temperatures reached a high of 38.1C (100.5F).
In Stourbridge, a major incident was declared as six houses were destroyed by a rapidly spreading wildfire. West Midlands Fire Service reported "extreme levels of demand," with firefighters battling blazes that engulfed properties and threatened more. Witnesses described flames jumping from house to house as residents evacuated with what they could carry. A child and three firefighters were taken to hospital, and residents reported ash raining down for hours.
Around 100 firefighters tackled the inferno near Stourbridge golf course, which consumed approximately 40 acres of land. One witness, Michael Morgan, recounted seeing flames spread rapidly, consuming hedges, power lines, and even a fire engine. "When the fire brigade finally came, the whole lot was just engulfed in flames, including the fire truck," he said.
Similar scenes unfolded in Salford Priors, Stratford-upon-Avon, where Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service declared another major incident due to multiple field fires. Residents nearby were advised to close doors and windows, and some individuals were treated for smoke inhalation. Farmers assisted by providing water.
In Castle Vale, Birmingham, several homes were severely damaged by fire, with one woman sustaining serious injuries. Images from the scene showed two bungalows completely gutted. Thick smoke from the fires temporarily closed the M6 northbound carriageway between Junctions 5 and 6.
Fires were also reported in Sandyford, Stoke-on-Trent, leading to the evacuation of a small number of homes, and in Maypole, south Birmingham. In Worcestershire, including Pershore, several homes were affected by fires that spread quickly. Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service reported that 200 properties lost power, and 30 properties were evacuated.
Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service responded to 16 emergencies, including a fire at Mousehold Heath. The incidents follow a fire in Caerphilly, South Wales, on Wednesday that destroyed five homes, leading to an arrest on suspicion of arson.
These blazes occurred as the UK experienced its fifth heatwave of the year, with the temperature peaking at 38.1C at Kew Gardens in west London, provisionally the fifth hottest day on record. A rare amber extreme heat warning was in effect for the Midlands and southeast England until Thursday night.
The Fire Brigade Union had previously warned of a shortage of firefighters needed to combat an increasing number of wildfires, noting that the UK had already seen over 1,000 wildfires this year, making it the worst on record.