West Midlands wildfire spreads near Stourbridge as evacuations continue

Residents near Stourbridge in the West Midlands have been evacuated after a large grass fire spread across homes, roads and woodland on Thursday. Emergency crews said the blaze was affecting six houses and had burned across about 40 acres of land, with smoke visible across the town. Stourbridge Town Hall has been opened as a rescue centre for people forced to leave their homes.

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West Midlands Fire Service said it was facing extreme levels of demand as around 60 firefighters attended the scene near Stourbridge golf course after being alerted at about 1.30pm. The service said two casualties were affected by heat and smoke, while flames were reported to be spreading across roads in places. A local councillor said care home residents were among those evacuated, adding to the scale of the disruption.

The fire comes after scorching temperatures across the region and other parts of the UK, conditions that can increase the risk of grass and open-land fires spreading quickly. Police, fire crews and ambulances were at the scene, and the incident was described as a major incident. Residents were urged to stay indoors, avoid dense smoke and not to travel to the area to watch the fire.

The response in Stourbridge also highlights the pressure on emergency services when fires move from open land into built-up areas. Drone footage released by the fire service showed flames threatening homes, while smoke billowed across the town. The incident has drawn on resources at a time when another large fire in Salford Priors, near Stratford-upon-Avon, was also being tackled in the wider region.

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Grass fires can spread rapidly when dry conditions and strong heat combine, and the Stourbridge blaze has shown how quickly that risk can affect residential streets and nearby facilities. The use of a town hall as a rescue centre suggests a significant number of people have been displaced, even though officials have not yet given a full total. The fire service has also warned people not to try to tackle the blaze themselves.

What remains unclear is the full extent of the damage, whether the fire is now contained, and how long displaced residents will need to stay away from their homes. Officials have not yet said what caused the blaze or given a final assessment of the affected properties. The immediate focus remains on protecting residents, limiting further spread and keeping roads and smoke-affected areas clear.

Residents in parts of the West Midlands have been urged to stay indoors as emergency services respond to two major fires in the region. One blaze in the Stourbridge area has spread close to homes, while another large fire is being tackled in Salford Priors near Stratford-upon-Avon. Authorities say the incidents are placing extreme pressure on crews and have prompted public safety warnings across the area.

West Midlands Fire Service said it was facing extreme levels of demand as firefighters worked on the Stourbridge fire. Drone footage released by the service showed flames near residential properties and thick smoke across the town. Stourbridge Town Hall has been opened as a rescue centre for people forced to leave their homes, and those directly affected have been told not to try to tackle the fire themselves.

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The service also told residents to call 999 if they are in immediate danger. In Warwickshire, fire crews are dealing with a separate large fire in Salford Priors. Residents there have been told to close all doors and windows while emergency teams work at the scene.

Police, firefighters and ambulance crews are present, and the incident has been declared a major incident. People have also been warned not to drive through smoke-affected areas or travel to the fire scenes to watch. The two fires are significant because they are unfolding at the same time and drawing on emergency resources across more than one local authority area.

That has led to warnings about further pressure on fire services already dealing with high demand. The response also shows how quickly grass and open-land fires can threaten homes when conditions allow flames to spread close to built-up areas. The Stourbridge fire has become the more visible of the two incidents, with the rescue centre at Stourbridge Town Hall providing a place for displaced residents.

In Salford Priors, the declaration of a major incident indicates the scale of the response and the need for coordination between emergency services. The warnings to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel suggest that smoke and access issues are affecting wider parts of the surrounding area. What remains unclear is how many homes have been affected, whether anyone has been injured, and how long the fires will take to bring under control.

Emergency services have not yet given a full assessment of the damage or the cause of either blaze. For now, officials are focusing on keeping residents away from danger, reducing pressure on crews and preventing any further fires from starting.

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