Georgia Bates

Residents evacuated after wildfires in Stourbridge have begun returning home as firefighting continues. Eight families whose homes were destroyed have viewed their properties, 13 households with partially damaged homes have returned, and a further 85 unaffected households have gone back after West Midlands Fire Service significantly reduced local cordons. Dudley Borough Council urged residents not to speculate about the cause while investigations continue. Wildfires across the West Midlands have prompted public emergency warnings and raised more than £125,000 for affected families in Stourbridge, Birmingham, Pershore and Stoke-on-Trent.

More than £125,000 has been raised through GoFundMe appeals for families affected by wildfires in Stourbridge, Birmingham, Pershore and Stoke-on-Trent. The Heart of England Community Foundation has collected over £50,000 through an emergency appeal and plans to distribute the money with local agencies. Additional appeals have raised substantial sums for affected families, many of whom lost homes and pets. Authorities and GoFundMe warned donors to check fundraising pages carefully after fake appeals were reported.

Emergency services have established a process for Stourbridge wildfire victims to assess whether they can safely return home after a blaze destroyed 19 houses and spread across more than 500 acres. The fire was declared under control following a major incident, while emergency responders across England and Wales faced multiple wildfires, unusually high temperatures and a surge in emergency calls. Around 200 military personnel provided logistical support, including water distribution. Cooler weather and possible rain were expected, while officials also warned of wider climate-related pressures on transport infrastructure and cancelled fireworks at Eastbourne Airshow to reduce risks to emergency services.

Dudley Borough Council has warned residents about fake GoFundMe and other crowdfunding pages claiming to collect money for people affected by wildfires in Stourbridge, where 19 homes were destroyed. Chief executive Balvinder Heran urged residents not to donate through unofficial appeals and said the council had established its own fundraising page for affected residents.