Firefighters in the West Midlands are continuing to tackle blazes for a second day after multiple fires swept across the region on Thursday. The fires destroyed and damaged homes, forcing residents to evacuate, as the UK recorded its hottest day of the year.
A total of 54 patients were treated by paramedics, and 19 were taken to hospital. West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) chief fire officer Simon Tuhill described the conditions as "some of the most challenging" he has seen in 28 years of service. Residents have been warned they could be away from their homes for days.
Major incidents were declared in areas including Stourbridge, where over a hundred firefighters fought flames near Stourbridge Golf Club, and in Warwickshire, where crews responded to a large fire in Salford Priors. Homes in Birmingham's Castle Vale and Druids Heath areas were also badly damaged.
The fires spread rapidly due to "tinder dry conditions" and the UK's hottest day of the year, with temperatures reaching 38C in Pershore, Worcestershire. Dr Kerryn Little, a wildfire researcher at the University of Birmingham, noted that the Midlands has been significantly affected due to vegetation in urban areas combined with high human activity leading to ignitions.