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Firefighters are battling three “significant incidents” in South Wales as wildfires continue in the region.
The military has been called in to help the fire crews, with the fire service attending wildfires in Blaenavon, Merthyr Tydfil and Ferndale.
Local residents have been advised to close windows and doors. Fires are also affecting Kettering, in Northamptonshire, with the blaze covering 200 metres squared of grassland.
Prime minister Andy Burnham yesterday sent out an emergency alert to phones across England and Wales about the wildfire threat.
Phil Garrigan, chair of the National Fire Chiefs’ Council said on Saturday morning that there had been 43 wildfires over the past 24 hours, adding: “We’re very much still in the thick of it, very much still on the front line of climate change.”
There have been major incidents in Wales, Hampshire and Stourbridge.
19 homes were destroyed and a further 18 damaged in a huge fire in Stourbridge, West Midlands.
Firefighters fighting wildfire in Kettering
Four fire engines are tackling a wildfire near the River Ise, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service have said.
The fire is affecting both sides of the riverbank near Valley Walk and Deeble Road in Kettering, the service said. They believe that it started shortly before 1pm on Saturday afternoon.
In a statement, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Firefighters are working to extinguish the fire, which covers an area approximately 200 metres by 200 metres. In addition to the four fire engines, a support vehicle and water carrier are also in attendance.
“Residents affected by smoke are advised to keep their windows and doors closed”.
Holly Bancroft15 August 2026 16:54
This year ‘doesn’t really compare’ to previous years, fire chief warns with 2026 breaking fire records
Chair of the National Fire Chiefs’ Council, Phil Garrigan, has told Sky News that there have been 43 wildfires over the past 24 hours, adding: “We’re very much still in the thick of it, very much still on the front line of climate change.”
He said that there have been major incidents declared in Wales, Hampshire and Stourbridge. He told the broadcaster this morning: “We’ve still got crews deployed into those areas both at a local level, a regional level, and a national level. We’re still in high speed conditions. We’ve had 11 major incidents declared over the course of the last couple of days, which has stretched fire and rescue services resources considerably.
“Every fire service in the country is still dealing with the threat of wildfire, and even last night we had 43 wildfires occurred across the UK in the last 24 hours. So we are very much still in the thick of it, and we are very much still on the front line of climate change.”
He added that this year “doesn’t really compare”, saying: “It’s close to 2025 figures, but we’ve surpassed them and it’s only August. So we’re anticipating it being significantly higher than it was in 2025, and that was the highest number of wildfires on record.”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham speak to emergency responders at the West Midlands Fire Service incident command unit during a visit to Stourbridge in the West Midlands (Getty)
Holly Bancroft15 August 2026 16:39
Firefighters battling blaze in South Wales
Firefighters are battling three “significant incidents” in South Wales as wildfires continue in the region.
The fire service are attending wildfires in Blaenavon, Merthyr Tydfil and Ferndale. Military personnel and an army helicopter are supporting firefighters in Cwmavon, Torfaen council has said.
Local residents have been advised to close windows and doors. South Wales Fire and Rescue Service have declared a major incident.
Police are also investigating a “deliberate fire” on the mountain near Pleasant Heights, Porth – and on Friday arrested four 14-year-old boys on suspicion of arson.
Holly Bancroft15 August 2026 16:31
Watch: Andy Burnham pleads for public caution at scene of Stourbridge fireAndy Burnham pleads for public caution at scene of Stourbridge fire
Alex Croft15 August 2026 15:30
Timeline of past emergency alerts
- 8 January 2026 – Cornwall and Isles of Scilly during Storm Goretti
- 7 September 2025 – England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales as test alert
- 23 January 2025 – Parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland for Storm Éowyn
- 6 January 2025 – River Soar at caravan parks near Barrow upon Soar due to severe flooding
- 6 December 2024 – Parts of Wales and the south west of England during Storm Darragh
- 23 May 2024 – River Roe and River Ive from Highbridge to Stockdalewath for severe flooding
- 23 February 2024 – Plymouth for the transportation of a WWII bomb found in Keyham
- 23 April 2023 – Wales, England, Northern Ireland and Scotland as a test
- 29 June 2021 – Reading as a test
- 25 May 2021 – East Suffolk as a test
Alex Croft15 August 2026 15:00
Autumn rain may not alleviate drought conditions, says Met Office
Autumn rainfall is not guaranteed to reverse the drought conditions affecting most of England and all of Wales, the Met Office has warned.
Chief meteorologist Will Lang said rain is on its way, but there remains a question mark over how much would fall.
In a bone-dry summer, rainfall totals for July have been as low as 1 per cent of the expected average, in the South East. Some parts of Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and West Sussex did not have a single rain day for 59 days.
These conditions have brought 71.3 per cent of England into drought, according to the Environment Agency. Natural Resources Wales has declared a drought across the whole of Wales.
Mr Lang said: “Having seen virtually no rainfall in southern parts of the UK, we will see some rainfall.
“‘How much?’ is the question. The answer is probably not too much compared with our forecast,” he told PA. “It’s looking like the overall amount of rain will still be below normal for the time of year.”
He continued: “Looking forward into the autumn, though, that’s when we’d normally see a change of conditions. We do see wetter and windier conditions and we will see more rainfall.
“Again, ‘how much?’ is the question – and whether that’s enough to alleviate things like the current drought problems, we don’t know yet.”
Alex Croft15 August 2026 14:31
In pictures: Stourbridge left scorched by West Midlands wildfires
(Getty)
(Getty)
(Getty)
Alex Croft15 August 2026 14:01
Sadiq Khan warns Burnham not to ‘slow down on net zero’
Andy Burnham has been warned not to “slow down on net zero” by London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, who argued the heatwave and wildfires showed the need for action on climate change.
The prime minister has acknowledged the devastation caused by the extreme weather is due to climate change but has faced criticism over his stance on North Sea oil and gas, after promising a “pragmatic” approach which won praise from Donald Trump, who supports new drilling in the area.
Sir Sadiq, who has been nominated for a life peerage, called for “reassurance” from Mr Burnham’s government that there would be no shift away from commitments to end reliance on fossil fuels, demanding international “action over apathy” on climate change.
Sir Sadiq Khan has urged Andy Burnham not to slow down in the drive to net zero (PA) (PA Archive)
In a sign of tensions within Labour over the issue, Sir Sadiq said the planet was in a “deeply precarious position”.
“And that’s why we need reassurance from the Government that they won’t slow down on net zero or reducing our reliance on oil and gas and that they’ll continue accelerating the green investment we need to get our country and planet back on track,” he said.
He said national governments around the world ”must choose action over apathy and commit to delivering Net Zero, reducing our reliance on oil and gas, and investing in the large-scale green projects we urgently need to cut emissions, adapt to extreme heat, and protect communities from flooding and wildfires”.
Alex Croft15 August 2026 13:29
Prince of Wales thanks emergency services for wildfire response
The Prince of Wales has thanked the emergency services for their response to the wildfires across the country.
In a statement, William said: “To the firefighters, emergency responders and volunteers battling wildfires across the UK, thank you.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected, particularly those who have lost their homes, and with those working tirelessly to protect communities, homes and the countryside. W”.
(Reuters)
Alex Croft15 August 2026 13:00
Recap: Multiple homes completely destroyed after huge West Midlands fires
Nineteen homes were completely destroyed in the West Midlands after a large wildfire rapidly spread into buildings during the UK’s hottest day of the year.
Huge blazes across the region led to “apocalyptic” scenes, thousands of 999 calls and evacuations, with residents told to “stay away” from their homes as firefighters work to tackle the blaze.
In addition to the 19 homes that were destroyed in Stourbridge, a further 18 were damaged as the fire spread over more than 500 acres.
Crews are still working to tackle the blaze which has left a “significant” number of residents displaced.
Alex Croft15 August 2026 12:30