Nineteen properties across five streets in Stourbridge have been fully destroyed by a wildfire that spread across more than 500 acres, prompting the West Midlands Fire Service to declare a major incident on Thursday, the hottest day of the year so far. Eight households have been permitted to view the shells of their former homes, while 85 evacuated families returned to undamaged properties and 13 households with partial damage also went back.
The blazes, which erupted after temperatures reached 38.1C at Kew Gardens, prompted 11 major incident declarations across the UK, according to National Fire Chiefs Council chairman Phil Garrigan. In Stoke-on-Trent, four homes were destroyed and 13 damaged, leading to the arrest of a man and woman on suspicion of arson. A 55-year-old man was also arrested over a Kings Norton fire, and a 50-year-old was charged with arson in Hackney.
About 200 military personnel from the Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment were deployed to South Wales, where crews are battling 14 wildfires. Community fundraisers have surpassed £125,000 for affected residents.