'Apocalyptic scenes' as wildfires hit homes in England
The "apocalyptic scenes" caused by huge blazes in the West Midlands area of England have led to thousands of 999 calls on the UK's hottest day of the year, a fire chief has said.
Britain faces the reality of climate change as wildfires ravage homes, Prime Minister Andy Burnham declares. In Stourbridge, near Birmingham, smoke billowed from the smoldering ruins of 19 completely destroyed and 18 damaged houses. Burnham, who assumed power last month, witnessed the apocalyptic scene and emphasized the urgent need for a rapid transition to clean energy.
He described the situation as unprecedented in Britain, where homes are often left gutted and smoldering. The UK has set a target to achieve zero-carbon electricity by 2030 and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Burnham stressed that Britain is now a "tinderbox" with 37 fires nationwide. The government has banned the sale of disposable barbecue equipment, and residents received emergency alerts prohibiting any activities that could trigger fires.
In Stourbridge, one firefighter was hospitalized, and five others suffered minor injuries after battling the blaze. Six additional firefighters from Staffordshire were also taken to the hospital due to smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion. Sixty-eight people were treated for smoke inhalation, with 25 requiring hospitalization. Two men in their 20s have been arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with a large fire that damaged four homes.
Firefighters have been battling wildfires across rural areas and moorland, with the National Fire Chiefs Council warning that investment in firefighting resources falls short and urging the government to boost support.
Written by urgent.news from RTE News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
