Return to home plan put in place for wildfire victims in Stourbridge

The wildfire which spread across more than 500 acres and destroyed 19 homes on Thursday is now under control

A return to home plan has been put in place for residents affected by the wildfires in Stourbridge as emergency services said the blaze is “under control”.

West Midlands Fire Service declared a major incident on Thursday as a wildfire spread across more than 500 acres and destroyed 19 homes in the market town.

It was one of several blazes to ravage through the UK this week as temperatures soared and the hottest day of the year was recorded.

Locals affected by the Stourbridge fire have been invited to attend an address in the area and meet with emergency service officers who will outline “if further assessment needs to be made to let you into your property… or if you cannot currently return to your property”.

The fire service provided instructions to those who have been evacuated and said that alongside other agencies, it has worked “around the clock to bring the incident under control”.

On Friday evening, millions of people in England and Wales received an alert on their mobile devices warning them of a “very high risk of wildfires nationally”.

It came after Prime Minister Andy Burnham described Britain as a “tinderbox” and a temporary ban on disposable barbecues was put in place.

Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said it has been “inundated” with 999 calls since the emergency alert and urged people to help “keep our lines available for those who need urgent assistance”.

This message was echoed by South Wales Fire and Rescue service who said on Saturday evening it had already received 736 calls compared to an average of about 300, and urged people only to call 999 if there was a new emergency to report.

The region has been affected by wildfires leading to the deployment of about 200 military personnel – from the Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment, supported by the 22 Engineer Regiment – to provide support.

According to the Ministry of Defence, its main task was to provide logistical support, such as water distribution, and help free firefighters and specialist responders to focus on frontline firefighting.

Published: 15/08/2026 by Radio NewsHub