Child and three firefighters rushed to hospital after 'apocalyptic' wildfire destroys homes in Stourbridge amid 34C heat - as 'major incident' declared

- Have YOU been affected? Get in touch sophia.stanford@dailymail.co.uk - Get your news delivered straight to you by 7am – sign up to our new Morning Mail newsletter for FREE - See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source A child and three firefighters have been taken to hospital as an 'apocalyptic' wildfire rages in Stourbridge, destroying at least six homes. Six other people are being treated for smoke inhalation while West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) said they are still trying to get the inferno 'with several points of origin' under control. They added that they are 'facing extreme levels of demand' as multiple blazes are devastating several other areas in the region on Britain's hottest day of the year so far. Dozens of residents have been evacuated, with the northbound side of the M6 between J4 and J5 forced to close earlier due to nearby fires – although this has now reopened, with reduced speed limits in place. Temperatures peaked at 34C (93F) in the Midlands earlier today, with a sweltering high of 38.1C in Kew Gardens – making today the fifth warmest day on record. The relentless heat and drought contributed to the 'tinder-dry conditions' that allowed the fire to spread 'rapidly', fire chiefs said. Meanwhile, in Stourbridge, thick plumes of black smoke were seen billowing from the properties, with an estimated 40 acres of land, including fields and a wood, up in flames. Sixty firefighters and 12 fire engines were sent to tackle the inferno, with residents spotted carrying their belongings out of their homes in suitcases as the wildfire threatens to spread. A hazardous area response team was sent to one fire on Norton Road alongside three double crewed ambulances who treated six people, with two taken to hospital after suffering from smoke inhalation. A child and three firefighters have been taken to hospital as an 'apocalyptic' wildfire rages in Stourbridge, destroying at least six homes Several homes can be seen up in flames, with clouds of black smoke billowing from the properties as part of a 'major incident' in Stourbridge Thick plumes of black smoke can be seen billowing from the properties Around 60 firefighters are believed to be tackling the devastating fire on the residential area, which is situated next to a golf course in Stourbridge Dozens of residents have been forced to evacuate their homes as wildfires rage nearby, with some resorting to packing their belongings into just a few suitcases A burnt-out property on Racecourse Lane, Stourbridge, reveals the destructive extent of the wildfire The Prime Minister has been updated on the situation, according to the mayor of West Midlands, Richard Parker, who told Sky News 'the prime minister and the government are on [the] side' of Stourbridge locals. Crowds of people can be seen in videos posted online wandering through the thick clouds on streets nearby, with some locals complaining that it has become difficult to breathe due to the smoke. Stourbridge Town Hall has been made available as a rest centre for the affected residents who were forced to evacuate and St Michael’s Church Norton have also opened their doors for those affected. Those who have not yet been forced to flee their homes have reportedly been told to wet their fences and be prepared to evacuate. Others have taken to dousing nearby fields with their watering cans to try to reduce the risk of further spreading, with one local telling the Telegraph that today's blaze 'was all the way across the fields in no time at all. It was hard to believe it was happening.' 'Ash has been raining down on the roads for quite a few hours now,' another resident told Sky News. Simon Tuhill, chief fire officer at WMFS, told a press conference this evening that this was one of the 'most significant' incidents his team have had to deal with. 'The devastation is extensive,' he said in regards to the 'large and complex incident'. 'The tinder-dry conditions that the country and the West Midlands are facing at the moment has meant that the fire has spread rapidly, despite the hundred-plus firefighters’ best efforts who are on scene and in attendance,' he said. Fire crews working on Racecourse Lane, Stourbridge, near properties damaged by a major fire Police tape is tied directly around the knocker of a front door at an evacuated Stourbridge home following a fire 'Our thoughts are with the local community who have been so impacted by the local community and devastated by it,' he added. Thomas Clayton, incident commander at West Midlands Police, has asked the public to only ring 999 'where absolutely necessary and where possible, if they can use our other non-emergency means of contacting the police'. WMFS said in their latest update that the fire is 'covering the area from Moreton Road to Iverley Lane, along the total length of Racecourse Lane, from Norton Road to County Lane and from Racecourse Lane to Worcester Lane. This includes Stourbridge Golf Club and surrounding roads'. 'Roads are closed in the area as they are affected by smoke, fire and in some cases, fallen trees. If you must drive, avoid this area to let us manage this incident,' they added. 'Our crews are working tirelessly to control the blaze, prevent it from spreading further and reigniting in these dry, hot conditions. 'Wherever you are in the West Midlands, please do whatever you can to stay safe and minimise the risk of outdoor fires. 'If you are directly affected by an ongoing fire, please DO NOT risk tackling it yourself. Get to a safe place and call 999. We will do our very best to get help to you as soon as we can.' Cllr Andrew Tromans, who represents Wollaston and Stourbridge Town on Dudley borough council, called the wildfire 'apocalyptic' and is 'sadly just a taste of what is to come if we don’t act'. Aerial image captures the fire in Stourbridge, West Midlands, with an estimated 40 acres of land, including a wood, hit by the flames in several locations Smoke rises from a number of homes in Stourbridge, south-west of Birmingham, on the hottest day of the year so far 'Please do all you can to support the emergency services whilst they do their vital work,' he added. Following the battle against the flames, Severn Trent Water has warned that there may be water supply disruptions across the West Midlands. 'Some customers in the area may experience lower water pressure, no water supply or discoloured water while emergency services continue their response,' the company said this evening, while reassuring customers they are working closely alongside emergency services. The inferno comes amid a record year for wildfires as more than 1,000 blazes have ravaged England and Wales so far – already as many as there were in the whole of 2025, the previous worst year. The whole of England is also under a UK Health Security Agency amber heat health alert until tomorrow night, which warns of a 'rise in deaths'. Prime Minister Andy Burnham chaired a meeting of the Government's emergency Cobra committee yesterday in response to the ongoing hot and dry weather. Other areas of the wider Midlands have been affected by fires, with a major incident declared over a 'large fire' at Tothall Lane in Salford Priors, Stratford-Upon-Avon, this afternoon. Worcester News reported that farmers were aiding in the efforts to tackle the inferno by bringing bowsers – mobile tanks that can be attached to a trailer or mounted to a tractor – filled with water. At least ten fire engines are believed to have been at the scene, as well as three ambulances and police cars, however the incident has since been stood down and no longer considered a major incident, according to Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service. 'Please continue to keep windows and doors closed and avoid the area where possible,' the service added. Both lanes of the A46 have also since reopened between Salford Bridge and Arrow Services. Thick plumes of smoke covered the skyline above Stourbridge Smoke rising from a fire in the Stourbridge area, which saw temperatures peaked at 34C earlier today Crowds of people can be seen in videos posted online wandering through the thick clouds of smoke on streets nearby The M6 was reported to have six miles of traffic, with drivers expecting more than two-hour-long delays, the National Highways warned. This was due to the 'off-network fire' – which is when a fire is not located directly on the motorway but the smoke from the blaze nearby makes it hazardous to drive. Earlier in the day, fires were also spotted tearing through fields in Lower Howsell, Malvern, and Pershore, with eight fire engines in attendance. One resident reportedly described the black smoke spreading across the row of houses on Three Springs Road, Pershore, 'like a domino effect' while another heard a 'massive explosion', according to BBC News. Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said that one person was being treated for smoke inhalation, 30 homes were evacuated and 200 properties have been left without power. The blaze is now believed to be under control and Pershore Leisure Centre is being used a rest centre for those affected by the fires in Worcestershire. Unofficial rest centres were also being set up, however Wychavon District Council – while acknowledging the good will of locals - advised affected residents to use the designated centre. Slightly further north, homes were evacuated in Oldbury after a fire tore through the disused Brandhall Golf Course. Cllr Luke Cotterill, who represents Old Warley for Sandwell council, said: 'The police have asked that everybody evacuates the houses. 'Another thing that didn’t help matters is there is a second house fire as well just off the golf course. So if people can just stay safe, listen to the police’s instructions and just evacuate.' On the other side of Birmingham, in Castle Vale, paramedics were forced to tend to a woman who suffered serious injuries after a fire ripped through a residential street. She was taken to hospital alongside another man while several bungalows were gutted from the flames and part of the roof in one building collapsed. Nearby, Gilbertstone Avenue in Solihull has reportedly been closed between A45 Coventry Road and Clay Lane due to a fire. Reports of a fire in the Druids Heath area of Birmingham have also been made, with streams of smoke coming from land near Manningford Road and Pennyacre Road. In Tamworth, Staffordshire, a '50ft' fire ripped through at least six gardens with a woman taken to hospital for burns. Footage captured the blaze destroying sheds and hedges as it tore across back gardens this morning. The cause of the fire is not yet known and a probe is now underway, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed. The casualty's injuries are not thought to be life-threatening or life-changing. A fire ripped through a residential area in Tamworth on Thursday morning, with one woman taken to hospital for burns The Staffordshire town saw six gardens including sheds and hedges blazing and required firefighters to extinguish the raging fire Sheds were set alight in the blaze Footage captured the blaze destroying sheds and hedges as it tore across back gardens this morning Kirsty Harper, 39, runs a doggie day care from her home in the Tamworth area and says she had 'a house full of dogs' when the blaze began. She said she went with a neighbor to bang on the doors of other houses affected and 'warn old people that live in the street' about the inferno. Speaking through Sell Us Your Story, she said: 'Then I knocked on the property where the garden was directly on fire and as I was knocking on the door I could see the flames coming through their hedges at the bottom of the garden. 'They came to the door and I said "your garden's on fire!! They didn't realise because they were painting in the living room.' Kirsty then rushed to her mother's house, which is nearby, to evacuate her dogs as her mother was out. But, around ten minutes after she left, she said: 'Her garden was completely on fire, she lost two sheds in her garden.' Her partner, Richard Harper, said the flames were 'double the size of our two-storey house - so you are talking around 50ft flames'. Elsewhere in the UK, residents of the Sandy Road area of Goldenhill, Stoke-on-Trent, were evacuated from the homes, with clouds of smoke seen billowing above properties. One resident told BBC News that four homes are 'completely gone', with a few others affected. Fire services warned earlier that 'further evacuations may take place in due course' and advised locals to similarly keep their windows and doors closed. Wignall Road from Ridge Road up to Maureen Avenue has been closed while firefighters attended the inferno, with Goldenhill Community Centre being opened to provide support for affected residents. Around 60 firefighters were called to tackle a blaze in Mitcham, London, with a reported hectare-wide grass fire spreading through Commonside East this afternoon. Nearby roads were forced to close as firefighters braved the grass-fire that had spread to a reported hectare of land just after 1.45pm. By 2.51pm, the fire was under control but bus routes were diverted and a backlog of traffic was reported to have built up in the area. A London Fire Brigade spokesman told London Now: 'If you’re planning to enjoy the weather over the coming days either in a park or other open spaces, please don’t take a disposable BBQ with you! 'As this incident sadly proves they pose a significant fire risk - along with poorly disposed of cigarettes. The heat from a disposable BBQ can be retained for many hours, even after we think we have put out a barbecue safely. 'Smoking materials need to be discarded of properly and either dispose of your rubbish in the appropriate bins or take it home with you if none are available.' The multiple fires come only hours after a devastating fire that destroyed several homes in Newbridge, South Wales, yesterday with around 20 people forced to flee and spend the night in a leisure centre. Neighbours living in the former mining village had gathered to watch Wednesday's eclipse when the blaze broke out and rushed back to douse the flames with garden hoses and buckets of water before the fire service arrived. At least five homes were completely destroyed and several homes were evacuated after being gutted by the blaze, leaving more than 20 people forced to seek refuge in a nearby leisure centre or put up in a hotel. The cause of the fire is still being investigated by officials. Residents of six bungalows in Newbridge, South Wales, were forced to flee the wildfire Around 20 people were evacuated after the huge blaze broke out in Newbridge yesterday Drone pictures show the huge scale of the damage caused to homes and cars in Newbridge Caerphilly councillor Gary Johnson said: 'Everyone was getting ready yesterday to witness the eclipse, and for this to happen last night was a total shock. 'It is just dreadful, and heartbreaking for all the families involved. The whole community is strong, and we will rally around them like we always do.' A GoFundMe has been launched which has so far raised more than £2,000 to help the families. Last night, firefighters were called to another major blaze in Saddleworth Moor after a fire broke out in Oldham. People were advised to avoid the area as crews remained on the scene this morning. The Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: 'Our crews have been tackling a moorland fire near Holmfirth Road in Oldham through the night. 'Firefighters have made good progress in extinguishing the fire but remain at the scene damping down and monitoring hotspots. Please avoid the area while emergency services respond to the incident. 'A road closure is in place on Holmfirth Road in both directions between Dovestone and Greenfield reservoirs.' Andy Burnham last night called on shops to stop selling disposable barbecues, which he said were behind many of the blazes. He hinted at a summertime ban in the future.