Evacuation underway as firefighters tackle grass fire near Stourbridge golf course
Residents urged to avoid the area and follow safety precautions
Last updated 19 hours ago
Around 60 firefighters are battling a huge grass fire in Stourbridge, with a number of homes evacuated.
West Midlands Fire Service said six houses were affected by the blaze near the gold course, and the incident is estimated to involve about 40 acres of land, including a wood.
It added that two casualties were treated after being affected by heat and smoke.
Stourbridge Town Hall has been opened as a rest centre to support those who have evacuated their homes.
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker said in a statement: “There is an extremely worrying and fast moving situation with multiple fires across our region.
“I’m concerned for the families being asked to evacuate their homes and those whose journeys have been delayed or cancelled – but safety must come first.
“I am being kept up to date by the emergency services and the teams at Network Rail and TfWM (Transport for West Midlands) – and I’d urge people to avoid the area and those in the town to follow the advice of police and firefighters on the ground.
“Our emergency services are doing an amazing job in extreme circumstances and we will continue to give them our full support.”
Pressure on services
In a post on social media, West Midlands Fire Service said: “We are currently facing extreme levels of demand as a service, and need your immediate help.
“Wherever you are in the West Midlands, please do whatever you can to stay safe and minimise the risk of outdoor fires.
“If you are directly affected by an ongoing fire, please do not risk tackling it yourself.
“Get to a safe place and call 999.
“We will do our very best to get help to you as soon as we can.
FBU: more firefighters needed
Steve Wright, general secretary of the FBU, said: “We are very concerned to see wildfires raging in Stourbridge, South Wales and elsewhere around the UK.
“Firefighters are bravely tackling every blaze trying to keep the public and all our communities safe.
“Our members are also assisting other emergency services dealing with the derailed train in Lewes.
“It is imperative we increase the resilience of the fire and rescue service, recruit 5,000 more firefighters and provide adequate PPE so our members can tackle these incidents in the safest way possible.”