Homes destroyed as wildfires rage near Birmingham during UK heatwave
Wildfires destroyed homes in Stourbridge near Birmingham as the UK battles a fifth heatwave, with record temperatures recorded.
A severe wildfire tore through homes in Stourbridge, a town near Birmingham, on Thursday as firefighters across England and Wales battled blazes during a fresh spell of intense heat.
Aerial footage showed smoke plumes rising over residential areas and multiple homes engulfed in flames. The West Midlands Fire Service described the wildfires as "one of the most significant" incidents it has ever handled, according to chief fire officer Simon Tuhill.
A child and three firefighters were taken to hospital following the incident. Meanwhile, separate fires were seen burning across moorland in Monmouthshire, southeast Wales, with aerial images capturing flames spreading across large areas.
The fires come as Britain experiences its fifth heatwave of the year, the first having been recorded in May. The latest extreme heat has pushed 2026 to a record four days with temperatures of 36°C (96.8°F) or higher, and has matched 2022 with two days reaching 38°C.
Officials have linked these historic temperatures to human-caused climate change, as emergency crews continue to work through the challenging conditions.