Millions of Brits’ phones ring out with emergency alert warning them not to start blazes due to wildfires risk

MILLIONS of Brits have just received an emergency alert on their phones warning against the high risk of wildfires. The government issued the alert warning people “not to light anything that could spark a fire, including barbecues, campfires, and fireworks” with the country in the middle of another heatwave. The blaring alert pinged the phones of millions across the nation around 7pm today. Accompanied by a siren sound, it warned that “even a small flame can rapidly develop into a major wildfire placing lives, homes, businesses and emergency responders at risk”. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! The alert added: “Recipients will also be urged to report any fire immediately by calling 999.” Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that the request “came directly from Fire and Rescue Services”. The Labour PM said: “This evening, an Emergency Alert has been sent to people across England and Wales as the wildfire risk remains very high. “I was in Stourbridge today and saw first-hand the devastating impact these fires have had on people’s homes and lives. “Our priority now is to keep everyone safe and prevent more fires from starting. During this period of extreme heat, I’m asking everyone to take extra care ” Please do not light any fires in gardens, the countryside or other open spaces, including parks, moorland and wooded areas. Most read in The Sun “Our firefighters and emergency responders are working around the clock in incredibly difficult conditions. “We can all help them. Please take the Emergency Alert seriously and follow the guidance in place.” Louise Haigh, the First Secretary of State, said: “In response to the continued risk proposed by wildfires, the government has taken the decision to issue an Emergency Alert to England and Wales. “This is the most extensive use of the UK’s Emergency Alert system in response to an active incident, and reflects the seriousness with which the government is acting to safeguard people and property. “During this period of extreme heat, we are asking people to take simple steps to limit the risk of further fires. “By following the safety guidance, everyone can play their part in protecting local communities and supporting our frontline services who are working around the clock to keep people safe. “The government will continue to provide every assistance to communities being impacted by these fires, including the deployment of 100 additional military personnel in major incident areas.” The Emergency Alert system has been used before but the siren was part of a test when sounding out in September last year most recently. Phones vibrated and emitted a siren-like tone for up to 10 seconds. The Government has also used the system to issue real warnings. In January 2025, during Storm Eowyn, the system warned people in Scotland and Northern Ireland about severe weather. Approximately 3.5 million people across Wales and south-west England received an alert during Storm Darragh in December 2024. In February 2024, a 500kg unexploded Second World War bomb found in a Plymouth back garden triggered a warning to some 50,000 phones. Messages can be targeted to relatively small areas to pinpoint those at risk. Some 15,000 phones were alerted during flooding in Cumbria in May 2024, and 10,000 received a warning during flooding in Leicestershire in January this year. 5 comments5