Overview
- Millions of people in England and Wales received a government emergency mobile alert on Friday warning of a very high national wildfire risk and advising people not to light barbecues, campfires or fireworks.
- The temporary ban on the sale of disposable single‑use barbecues is in force across Great Britain after those grills were linked to multiple recent ignitions and major blazes including the Stourbridge fire that destroyed homes.
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham has deployed military personnel to support firefighting operations and said the government will commission aerial firefighting capability to tackle large, fast‑moving fires.
- Ministers will convene a summit with fire chiefs and unions and prepare an emergency financial support package for fire and rescue services that have been operating at high demand and reduced capacity.
- Health and environment agencies say prolonged heat and drought have created tinderbox conditions with low reservoirs and amber heat warnings in place, and fire services have urged the public to call 999 only for genuine emergencies.