People who fled Stourbridge fires start to return home
Residents in Stourbridge are beginning to return home to assess the damage caused by recent wildfires that destroyed or severely damaged dozens of properties. Fire services remain under extreme pressure as they continue to battle multiple blazes across England and Wales.
Why it matters
The incident underscores the increasing threat of wildfires in temperate regions during record-breaking heatwaves, highlighting the strain on emergency services.
Image source, EPA/Shutterstock Image caption, Some homes have avoided complete destruction - others have burned to the ground
People who had to flee their houses during the devastating Stourbridge fires are starting to return home.
Many families are only just discovering the extent of damage to their homes as West Midlands Fire Service allowed some behind the cordon after three days.
Nineteen properties across five streets have been fully destroyed with another 18 severely damaged.
Aerial images of the scene appear to show some houses have remained entirely intact while those next to them have been burnt to the ground.
Residents of Brunswick Gate, Landsgate, Ounty John Lane, Quarry Park Road and Racecourse Lane were asked to gather to speak to fire chiefs one by one.
They then learned if it was safe to return or if their home needed significant repairs or had been lost entirely.
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