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Following a summer of devastation, where the UK has had more than 1,000 wildfires so far, the prime minister has appointed a fire minister, as ITV News’ Cari Davies reports
An emergency alert on wildfire risk has been sent to millions of people in England and Wales, with the prime minister warning that “Britain is a tinderbox”.
The government sent the emergency alert on Friday evening, which began appearing on mobile devices from 7pm, in “the most extensive use” of the UK’s mobile phone alert system.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has told members of the public to take the warning “seriously”, and said it was triggered at the request of firefighters.
Burnham had earlier visited Stourbridge in the West Midlands, where a wildfire destroyed 19 homes on Thursday, the hottest day of the year so far.
The Stourbridge blaze spread across more than 500 acres, with the West Midlands Fire Service summoned to “hundreds and hundreds of incidents” throughout its patch, according to the area’s chief fire officer Simon Tuhill.
Firefighters at the scene of a blaze in Stourbridge Credit: PA
Friday is provisionally a record-breaking 10th day in 2026, when temperatures have exceeded 35C or more, according to the Met Office.
Burnham set out his response to the devastating wildfires across the UK, calling in the military in South Wales, announcing a ban on disposable barbecues and urging smokers to take care when disposing of cigarette butts.
The PM also revealed he planned to commission firefighting planes, which are commonly used to douse flames in Europe, the US and other countries to combat the spread of wildfires.
He was speaking during a visit to Stourbridge, where fires have torn through houses.
The scorched remains of a house in Stourbridge Credit: PA
Burnham said plans were being drawn up for emergency financial support for fire services battling the spread of wildfires.
He told broadcasters: “I’ve never seen scenes like this in Britain, where you just see a whole house gutted, smouldering.”
He also confirmed that 100 military personnel had been deployed to a blaze in South Wales to offer “critically needed” support.
The government appointed Baroness Blake of Leeds as fire minister on Friday, a new post in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
A couple who lost their home to the wildfire in Stourbridge said, “I was really scared, but I knew I needed to be brave for my kids”
The PM warned “Britain is a tinderbox right now” with “37 fires smouldering around the country”.
There have been more than 1,000 wildfires recorded across the country this year.
He went on to acknowledge the lack of aerial firefighting capabilities and said that they would be commissioned for national use.
Burnham also promised a summit with fire services as he said they have not received the funding required to cope with the impacts of climate change, including the possibility of floods later in the year.
“I can’t say today that we’ve done enough to fully resource them to deal with these type of incidents, and I want our firefighters to know that I understand how it seems from their point of view, and I’m going to convene that summit to make sure we get in place the right support, including the aerial support, permanently if that is what they deem is needed,” he said.
“Obviously, there’s other adjustments that we need to make in relation to climate change.”
He said experts had warned the UK could face a wet autumn and winter because of the El Nino effect “so, after fire could come floods”.
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A heat health alert was extended until Saturday for much of England amid warnings that high temperatures may increase health risks for vulnerable groups.
Temperatures provisionally reached 38.1C at Kew Gardens in London on Thursday, the second time this year the country has seen temperatures hit 38C.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has extended the current amber heat health alert for the East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, South West, London and East of England until 10am on Saturday.
With record dry conditions in July and a dry start to August, nearly three-quarters of England and the whole of Wales are in drought, heaping pressure on water resources for households, agriculture and the environment.
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