Several homes ablaze as firefighters try to contain West Midlands grassfire

Four people have been taken to hospital and several homes burned after a grassfire spread into a residential neighbourhood in the West Midlands.The region’s fire service was alerted to an extensive grassfire near Stourbridge golf course just before 1.30pm on Thursday. More than 60 firefighters responded to the blaze covering about 16 hectares (40 acres).Three firefighters and a child were taken to hospital for treatment, a fire service spokesperson said. A further six people were treated for smoke inhalation.Some local rail services were disrupted, while roads in the area were closed due to smoke, fire and fallen trees.A West Midlands Fire Service van arrives to the site of the wildfire in Stourbridge. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/GettyA firefighter working at the site of the fire in Stourbridge. Photograph: Matthew Cooper/PAImages released by the fire service showed the fire spreading into nearby woodland and homes. Six homes were directly affected by the blaze, and other people in the area reported power problems.The fire service spokesperson said: “This is a wildfire with several points of origin, now involving multiple houses on fire.”Stourbridge town hall was opened up to receive those forced to leave their homes.“Transport is also being arranged for those who can’t make their own way,” West Midlands Fire Service said in a social media post. “If you must drive, take extra care, avoid areas of dense smoke and please don’t head to areas where fires are taking place to watch.”A heat map shows flames threatening to engulf homes in the Stourbridge area. Photograph: West Midlands Fire Service/PACare home residents had also been evacuated as a result of the fire, a local councillor, Andrew Southall, said.Fire crews across the UK were battling multiple blazes on Thursday evening. Homes were destroyed by a fire in Sandyford, Stoke-on-Trent, and a woman was seriously injured when fire tore through homes in Castle Vale near Birmingham, the BBC reported.Northbound traffic on the M6 near Birmingham was temporarily closed due to smoke from a fire near the motorway, causing severe congestion and delays of more than two hours.In Warwickshire, the county’s fire and rescue service declared a major incident as crews fought a “large fire” in Salford Priors, Stratford-upon-Avon. That blaze was considered under control by Thursday evening.The UK recorded its hottest day of the year on Thursday, with the Met Office giving a provisional reading of 38.1C (100.6F) at Kew Gardens in west London.Forty locations across central and southern England recorded temperatures of 36C or above.