Stourbridge fire: Homes gutted as 11 wildfires break out across the West Midlands

Firefighters face ‘extreme’ demand

West Midlands Fire Service said it was alerted just before 1.30pm on Thursday to a grass fire near Stourbridge golf course, in the Racecourse Lane area.

Around 60 firefighters tackled a blaze that spread to roughly 40 acres, including a wood, and jumped across roads into streets of family homes.

The service said it was facing “extreme levels of demand”, taking more than 1,000 calls, with further fires in Pershore, Stoke-on-Trent and Stratford-upon-Avon, according to the Mirror’s live coverage.

What the fire service said about the Stourbridge blaze

As the fire took hold on Thursday afternoon, the service issued an appeal to people nearby.

"Flames are spreading across roads in places. Please avoid the area."

West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service, Thursday

It separately urged anyone affected by smoke to keep doors and windows closed.

Chief fire officer Simon Tuhill described it as the “most extensive” fire his crews had dealt with, and the Independent reported that multiple people were hospitalised and the fires left “extensive” devastation, in scenes described as “apocalyptic”. This summer, a wildfire was declared a major incident at Dunwich Heath in Suffolk.

Friday’s front pages led on the destruction, with the Times running “Houses burn and train derails on hottest day” and the Mirror “Britain on fire”. Crews said they would issue further updates, and anyone struggling in the conditions can read our guide on how to keep cool in the UK heatwave.