An emergency alert has been sent to phones across England and Wales as ministers scramble to tackle the growing threat of dangerous wildfires.
The alert, sent on a rolling basis from around 7pm to millions, warns people not to light anything that could spark a fire, including barbecues, campfires and fireworks. They are also urged to report any fire immediately by calling 999.
The message, which Andy Burnham said he been sent out at the request of the Fire and Rescue Services, comes as firefighters continue to battle blazes across parts of the country.
In response, the PM has also called in the military, announced a ban on disposable barbecues and warned smokers not to risk setting light to “tinderbox” Britain as he responds to the summer heatwave and wildfires.
The government also plans to commission firefighting planes, such as the ones used to douse flames in Europe and the US, to combat the spread of fires.
The alert follows the outbreak of several major blazes, including in Stourbridge, in the West Midlands, where 19 homes were completely destroyed.
Alert disrupts BBC Proms
The UK government alert went off just as BBC Proms was due to play Marvin Gaye’s ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’.
Fire services urge people not to call 999 to report on others having barbecues
Fire services have urged people not to call 999 to report people having barbecues unless there is an emergency following the Government’s alert about wildfires.
The UK’s mobile phone alert system was used on Friday evening to warn people not to light anything which could spark a wildfire, including barbecues and garden incinerators.
Surrey Fire & Rescue Service was among those experiencing a “high volume” of 999 calls.
In a statement on X, the service said: “Please only call 999 if there is an emergency or a fire producing significant smoke.
“We understand residents may be concerned, but we are unable to respond to reports of neighbours having BBQs, bonfires or campfires in their gardens unless there is an emergency.”
The service said it supported the Government’s message and advised against bonfires, fireworks, campfires or disposable barbecues in the dry conditions.
Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service said it appreciated the public’s “vigilance”, but in a statement on Facebook asked people to call 999 only if there is “a genuine emergency or an immediate risk to life, property or the environment”.
That message was echoed by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, who asked for 999 calls only to report “a new emergency”.
Rayner's department to meet with fire chiefs
Angela Rayner, the communities secretary, said that her department will hold a summit for fire chiefs and the firefighters union to look at future responses to wildfires
“As well as supporting firefighters on the ground now, my department will hold a summit bringing together fire chiefs, the National Fire Chiefs’ Council, the Fire Brigades Union and other key organisations to look at our future response.
“To the residents affected, particularly those who lost their homes and their life’s possessions to fire – we will work with the mayor and local leaders to make sure you are supported.”
Councillor whose dad's house caught fire urges public to heed alert's warning
Mike Sammon, Liberal Democrats councillor for Cambridge Ward, Southport, has urged the public to heed the government alert’s warning after his father’s house caught fire.
“Yesterday my Dad’s house caught fire following a neighbour’s disposable bbq. He is okay and the fire brigade arrived quickly, but he has had to move out whilst the insurance deals with the fire damage. The Government alert this evening is a warning we should all take seriously.”
Watch: Andy Burnham pleads for public caution at scene of Stourbridge fire
Pictured: Emergency alert goes off during the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham
Recap: Fire services to receive more cash for help with their increasing responsibilities
Fire and rescue services will be given more cash to help with their jobs, Andy Burnham has said, adding that he will gather together firefighters for a summit at the end of summer to “make sure they are properly resourced going forwards make sure they are properly resourced going forwards”.
As he listed the measures the government was taking to deal with wildfires, the prime minister said: “The chancellor and the communities secretary at my request are convening emergency, financial support, a package of support, for fire and rescue services that have been significantly affected.”
Mr Burnham later added it is “clear the climate is changing” and the country has to “react accordingly”.
He said: “So I will convene at the end of the summer, a summit with fire and rescue services to make sure they are properly resourced going forwards.
“We’ve lost firefighters in recent years. I know it as a former mayor, from a very grassroots level, some of the pressures on our fire and rescue services. I can’t say today that we’ve done enough to fully resource them to deal with these type of incidents, and I want our firefighters to know that I understand how it seems from their point of view, and I’m going to convene that summit to make sure we get in place the right and support, including the aerial support, permanently if that is what they deem is needed.
“Obviously, there’s other adjustments that we need to make in relation to climate change. We might be in for a wet autumn and winter straight after this, because of El Nino and some of the issues there, which were reported to Cobra. So, after fire could come floods.”
Timeline of past 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