Firefighters have issued an update on what ignited ‘apocalyptic’ wildfires that destroyed 19 homes in Stourbridge.
West Midlands Fire Service said today that the two blazes on August 13 were started accidentally in a field where agricultural machinery was being used.
They added that they did not believe the fires were started deliberately.
The service declared a major incident as the fire spread across more than 500 acres and towards homes.
Chief Fire Officer Simon Tuhill said: ‘Many people in Stourbridge face having to rebuild homes and lives and, understandably, have questions as part of that process.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
Start your day informed with Metro's newsletter or get alerts the moment it happens.
‘That’s why we are confirming that both fires were not started deliberately. They were accidental.
‘I know that many are still struggling to comprehend the scale of damage and personal loss. I’m also acutely aware that this information will not bring those back homes, livelihoods or cherished memories.’
A farmer previously told that Britain’s drought-like conditions over summer were so bad that even a spark from a stone caught in machinery was enough to ignite a wildfire.
Soon after the Stourbridge blaze, millions of people in England and Wales were startled to received an alert on their phones warning them of a ‘very high risk of wildfires nationally’.
It came as a direct request from fire services, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging people to take it ‘seriously’, having already described Britain as a ‘tinderbox’ due to the ‘changing climate’.
Actions also saw him implement a temporary ban on the sale of disposable barbecues, with the public instructed ‘not to light anything that could spark a fire, including barbecues, campfires, and fireworks’.
In the aftermath of wildfires in the region, 200 military personnel were deployed to assist civilian teams. They were sent from the Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment, supported by the 22 Engineer Regiment.
This is a breaking news story… More to follow…
MORE: Two dead in house fire near site of A66 crash and police ‘cannot rule out link’
MORE: UK updates its ‘war book’ and tells people to stock up on water and tinned food
MORE: Second man charged with murder in connection with ‘terrifying’ Hounslow house fire