Prime Minister Andy Burnham visited Stourbridge after wildfires devastated homes and called on the UK to confront climate change and speed the transition to clean energy. The West Midlands Fire Service said 19 houses were destroyed and 18 damaged; 37 blazes were reported nationwide amid drought conditions. Dozens were treated for smoke inhalation and several firefighters were hospitalised. Burnham pledged a summit with fire services and plans to commission firefighting aircraft to bolster response capacity.
Wildfires Gut Homes in Stourbridge — Andy Burnham Urges UK To 'Face Up' To Climate Change
Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham and West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker meet firefighters and staff members of the West Midlands Fire Service, dealing with wildfires in the area (Peter Byrne)
Prime Minister Andy Burnham visited Stourbridge on Friday after wildfires tore through residential areas, destroying homes and forcing evacuations. Smoke still rose from charred, roofless houses as firefighters continued to douse hotspots across the town.
The West Midlands Fire Service reported that 19 houses were completely destroyed and a further 18 properties were damaged. Authorities said 37 separate blazes were active across the country on Friday, fuelled by prolonged dry conditions that have placed nearly three-quarters of England under drought restrictions.
Scenes of Damage and Displacement
Residents were evacuated as flames moved quickly through grassland and into gardens. Local ambulance services treated dozens of people for smoke inhalation and related symptoms after the fire spread on what was the UK's hottest day of the year so far.
"I've never seen scenes like this in Britain, where you just see a whole house gutted, smouldering," Burnham said after surveying the damage and speaking with firefighters.
He added: "We have to face up to the changing climate ... there's no point denying where we are. We need to face up to it. We need more clean energy."
Response, Injuries and Causes
The fire service said one firefighter was hospitalised and five others suffered minor injuries while extinguishing hotspots in open grassland, along a railway line and in gardens. In Staffordshire, six firefighters were also taken to hospital with smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion. The West Midlands ambulance service reported it treated 68 people on Thursday, 25 of whom required hospital admission.
Emergency services said some blazes around Stourbridge appear to have been started deliberately in grassland before spreading to homes. Chief Fire Officer Simon Tuhill described the response as "one of the most significant incidents" the West Midlands Fire Service has attended and blamed the rapid spread on "tinder-dry" conditions. "The devastation is extensive," he said.
Government Action And Fire Service Calls
Burnham pledged to convene a summit with fire services and acknowledged gaps in resources. He also revealed plans to commission aerial firefighting assets similar to those used in parts of Europe and the United States.
The National Fire Chiefs Council warned that investment is not keeping pace with growing wildfire risks. "The risk is growing faster than our collective capacity to respond," the NFCC said, pointing to climate change, prolonged heat and shifting land use as factors creating more frequent, larger and more complex wildfires.
The government has introduced a ban on the sale of disposable barbecue equipment and reiterated warnings against lighting outdoor fires while the drought continues.
Key figures: 19 houses destroyed, 18 damaged, 37 blazes nationwide, 68 people treated by ambulance services on Thursday, and multiple firefighters hospitalised.
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