In a GOV.UK announcement, the government said people across England and Wales would receive an Emergency Alert on a rolling basis from around 19:00 as wildfire risk remained very high. The message tells recipients not to light anything that could start a fire, including barbecues, campfires and fireworks, and instructs them to call 999 immediately if they see signs of a fire. The decision is notable because it shifts the response beyond local warnings and into direct national communication. Louise Haigh, the First Secretary, said the alert represented the widest use so far of the UK Emergency Alerts system for an active incident, signalling that ministers now regard the fire risk as a matter requiring central coordination as well as local response.
The announcement follows major incidents across parts of the country, with firefighters continuing to deal with the effects of severe conditions. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister visited Stourbridge to meet residents affected by wildfire damage and to thank firefighters, emergency responders and local resilience partners involved in the response. The timing also matters. The measures were issued after a COBR meeting chaired by the Prime Minister earlier in the week, which indicates that the response has already moved through formal cross-government emergency structures. For fire and rescue services, that usually means quicker decisions on communications, support and operational relief than would be available through routine local channels alone.
The support package announced on GOV.UK combines immediate operational assistance with short-term recovery measures. Ministers said fire and rescue services facing the greatest operational pressures would receive emergency funding, while military assistance had been activated in South Wales. Around 100 personnel were deployed immediately to support response and recovery work, with a further 100 due to deploy later the same evening. In practical terms, military personnel are likely to be used to ease pressure around logistics, access, site management and recovery activity rather than replace specialist fire crews. That distinction is important because it shows the government is trying to preserve frontline firefighting capacity while widening the pool of public resources available in major incident areas.
One of the clearest regulatory steps is the temporary nationwide ban on the sale of disposable barbecues. The government said retailers had been told to remove them from sale immediately, with the restriction to remain under review for as long as the heightened wildfire risk continues. Angela Rayner has also written to local authorities across England to remind them of the powers already available to restrict risky activity in vulnerable areas. The GOV.UK statement refers specifically to Public Spaces Protection Orders, which can be used to limit barbecues, campfires and other open fires. For councils, land managers and retailers, the position is now more than advisory: ministers are pairing public messaging with sales controls and local enforcement powers.
The package also addresses the financial effects of fire damage. The government is calling on insurers to process claims as quickly as possible for affected households and businesses, with the stated aim of avoiding unnecessary delay. For areas facing the highest recovery costs, the Bellwin Scheme remains available to help local authorities meet exceptional expenditure, and ministers said requests would be considered swiftly. That combination matters for two reasons. First, it signals to residents and firms that recovery support is expected to come through both insurance and public mechanisms. Second, it recognises that the costs for councils do not end when flames are brought under control; emergency accommodation, site clearance, public safety measures and other recovery work can continue well after the immediate incident.
Alongside the immediate response, ministers are moving the discussion towards longer-term capability. The government said a national wildfire summit would be held later this year, bringing together fire chiefs, the National Fire Chiefs Council, the Fire Brigades Union and other partners to review preparedness and consider whether additional capabilities are needed as severe weather events become more frequent and more damaging. According to the same announcement, that work will build on existing investment in wildfire resilience, including £97 million for fire service training and specialist equipment. The policy direction is clear: the current incidents are being treated not only as an operational emergency, but also as evidence for a wider review of training, equipment, coordination and national resilience planning.
The public guidance attached to the announcement is simple but central to the government’s approach. People are being told not to light fires or open flames in the countryside or other open spaces, not to leave household barbecues unattended, to dispose of smoking materials carefully, to take litter home, particularly glass bottles, and to call 999 immediately if they see a fire. Taken together, the measures amount to a broad wildfire response package covering public warning, emergency funding, military support, product restrictions, local authority powers, insurance handling and future resilience planning. The government also said it is working with local authorities, emergency services and devolved administrations to monitor conditions and take further action where required, indicating that the response is still active and may yet widen if the risk persists.