UK Wildfires Destroy Homes on Hottest Day
UK Wildfires Destroy Homes on Hottest Day
The News
Fire services in central England declared a major incident on Thursday, Aug. 13, after wildfires tore through streets of family homes on what the UK recorded as its hottest day of the year.
Six properties were destroyed by a blaze that started near a golf course at Stourbridge in the West Midlands and raced through dry grass and woodland, the Daily Mail reported. Roughly 100 firefighters fought it.
West Midlands Fire Service said two people were injured, affected by heat and smoke, and emergency services described operating at "extreme levels of demand."
Timeline
A suspected wildfire destroyed at least five homes in Pantside, Newbridge, in Wales. More than 20 residents were evacuated to a leisure centre or a hotel. The cause is still under investigation.
Multiple fires broke out across the West Midlands and Warwickshire. A major incident was declared for blazes at Stourbridge and in Warwickshire.
The M6 northbound near Birmingham closed between junctions 5 and 6 as thick smoke from the Stourbridge grass fire blew across the carriageway, The Sun reported.
Ten fire appliances responded to a wildfire at Salford Priors in Stratford-on-Avon. Stourbridge town hall was opened as a rescue centre for displaced residents. A 50-foot blaze in Tamworth, Staffordshire spread through at least six gardens and hospitalised one woman.
Charred remains of the destroyed Stourbridge street were photographed in daylight as crews damped down.
Reactions
Residents described scenes they called "apocalyptic." Families told The Sun and the Daily Mail that ash was "raining from the sky" for hours as they grabbed bags and fled. Some said they were told to dampen the outside of their properties before evacuating.
The Independent reported "extensive devastation" across the region, with multiple people hospitalised.
The Sun reported that Prime Minister Andy Burnham praised firefighters for their response.
What's Next
The Met Office extended an amber extreme heat warning across a wider area, keeping the ground primed for further fires.
Investigators are still working to determine what started the Pantside fire in Wales. Fire services have not said how many additional homes remain at risk near the Stourbridge and Salford Priors fires.
More
CNN reported temperatures across the UK peaked Thursday amid an intense stretch of hot weather gripping Europe — conditions that let separate fires spread rapidly across several regions at the same time rather than one large front.
Reuters, citing Sky News footage, confirmed several homes catching fire in central England as the blazes jumped from grassland into residential streets.
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