What we know so far about the West Midlands fires

Firefighters in the West Midlands are continuing to tackle blazes for a second day after multiple fires swept across the region.

As the UK recorded its hottest day of the year on Thursday, residents fled their homes as fires spread through dry grass and tore through houses.

A total of 54 patients were treated by paramedics and 19 were taken to hospital.

Here is what we know about the fires.

On Thursday, fire crews responded to multiple blazes across the West Midlands that led to thousands of 999 calls.

In Stourbridge just before 13:30 BST, West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) were alerted to a large grass fire near Stourbridge Golf Club in the Racecourse Lane area.

More than a hundred firefighters fought to tackle the flames as they spread across roads and destroyed and damaged homes, forcing residents to evacuate.

Declared a major incident, three members of fire service staff were taken to hospital, while six members of the public were treated for smoke inhalation and a child was taken to hospital.

WMFS chief fire officer Simon Tuhill described the conditions as "some of the most challenging" he has seen in 28 years of service, and residents have been warned they could be away from their homes for days.

As of Friday morning, firefighters were continuing to damp down affected areas and extinguish hotspots.

LIVE: Firefighters tackle blazes in West Midlands for second day as crews say 'progress being made'

In neighbouring Worcestershire, a number of homes were damaged and 30 properties evacuated in the market town of Pershore, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said. One person was treated for smoke inhalation and about 200 properties were also left without power.

Firefighters attended multiples fires in Stoke-on-Trent after fences, gardens and garages were alight. It is understood to have spread from a grass area close to the A50, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said.

Elsewhere, a major incident was declared in Warwickshire, where fire crews responded to a large fire in Salford Priors, near Stratford-upon-Avon.

In the Castle Vale area of Birmingham, homes on the street were badly damaged in a fire, causing part of a roof on one building to collapse. A woman suffered serious injuries, while a man was also taken to hospital.

In the Druids Heath area of the city, a blaze also broke out, with video showing flames tearing through a row of houses. Nearby in Highters Heath, multiple terraced properties caught fire.

Harrowing stories have emerged from people who had their homes destroyed by fire.

Andrew Reynolds, whose mother's house burnt down in Highters Heath area of Birmingham, said his family had lost everything, including 100 years' worth of family photos.

He described the scene as an "inferno" as the blaze "ripped through" the properties.

Reynolds, 42, said: "Everyone's gutted, grieving, people have lost so much and no-one can go in to see if they can salvage anything."

Jane Baxter, whose house backs directly on Stourbridge Golf Club, was evacuated from her home.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The police knocked our door and said that everyone had to be evacuated quickly because they thought the fire was changing directions.

"So, it was literally grab what you need and get out.

"So, get out we did with the cat and away to go to our son's house."

Farmers in the area tried to use tractors to make a firebreak to halt the spread of the blaze.

Daniel Pardoe, of Iverley Park Farm, said: "There was about eight of us in total with various tractors and sprayers."

A total of 54 people were treated by paramedics, with 19 admitted to hospital, following the fires, West Midlands Ambulance Service said.

On Thursday the UK experienced it hottest day of the year and fifth hottest day on record, as the heatwave gripped much of the country.

In the West Midlands, the highest maximum temperature was 38C in Pershore, Worcestershire, according to Met Office figures.

Speaking about the Stourbridge blaze, WMFS chief fire officer Tuhill said the "tinder dry conditions" in the UK and West Midlands had meant that "the fire has spread rapidly".

WMFS urged the public to:

Dr Kerryn Little - a wildfire researcher at the University of Birmingham - says the Midlands has been hit badly because of vegetation in urban areas.

She added: "There's a high amount of people moving around, resulting in ignitions.

"When that meets with large areas of continuous vegetation that is built up, that can lead to wildfires."

A total of 1,017 wildfires have been recorded in England and Wales this year, according to data shared by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), which matches last year's record.

The UK is facing increasingly extreme conditions such as heatwaves, drought and wildfires fueled by climate change.

Elsewhere in England, a large number of fires are burning in Dorset and Wiltshire, where a major incident has been declared. The fires include a blaze on grassland near the famous Westbury White Horse in Bratton, Wiltshire.

In Hampshire, firefighters are continuing to tackle a wildfire in the New Forest for a sixth day. An area about the size of 230 football pitches has been affected. The fire service has said the perimeter of the blaze has been brought under control.

In Cambridgeshire, a wildfire has engulfed half of a nature reserve called Holme Fen, near Peterborough. It has burned through swathes of the 660-acre (270-hectare) site.

In Norfolk, a major incident was declared as firefighters tackled a blaze in Mousehold Heath in Norwich, and another in Sipdham, near Dereham. The incident has since been stood down, with the fire service saying its resources were in a more stable condition by Thursday evening.

In Wales, a major incident has been declared near Llandovery, Carmarthenshire. Fire crews have been tackling the flames since Wednesday afternoon, as the wildfire continues to affect about 250 hectares of land.

Elsewhere, fire services said crews were attending 30 incidents in south Wales on Thursday, with a "significant number of resources" at the scene at Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski called on the government to do more.

In a video posted on the party's X account on Thursday, he said: "Across the country, wildfires are tearing through our countryside."

"These are the consequences of a climate crisis that is happening right now."

In a separate post, he criticised the prime minister for "talking only about disposable barbecues" after convening an emergency meeting of the Cobra committee on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Burnham said it was "awful to see homes and communities hit by fires across the country" as the heatwave continues.

"My thoughts are with everyone affected, particularly those who have been injured or forced from their homes, and with the firefighters who have been taken to hospital," the prime minister said in a social media post.