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When two fires broke out minutes apart in Stourbridge on 13 August, dry vegetation, changing winds and the hottest day of the year helped turn them into an unprecedented emergency. The fires spread across 500 to 600 acres—an area equivalent to about 300 football pitches—and affected 37 properties with homes completely destroyed.
I spoke to Gemma McSweeney and Beth Francis from West Midlands Fire Service for a special bonus episode of the For Every Response podcast to find out what it was like to for the control room and frontline response to the of wildfires during the summer.
WMFS faced challenges that were not just about the size of the fires, but the number and spread of incidents. Some affected homes stood close together; others were miles apart. More than 100 firefighters, over 30 fire engines and 11 specialist teams were deployed at the incident’s height, while other major incidents were also drawing on resources across the region.
Gemma, who is an area commander and assistant director for response and fire control, said the impact on residents made the day especially difficult. “Devastating, tragic, unprecedented, these are all words that I would use to describe that day,” she told me. People lost homes, treasured belongings and family memories, she added, and the effects on the community could be felt for years.
The service declared a major incident early, enabling its gold command structure to be established and mutual aid to be sought from regional and national partners. But the demand was widespread: Staffordshire was dealing with a major incident at Cannock Chase at the same time. Neighbouring services were under pressure too, limiting the support they could provide. Normal mutual aid arrangements were stressed as a result.
WMFS exercises for major incidents and periods of unusually high demand, but Gemma said the scale and pattern of the Stourbridge fires could not have been fully anticipated.
“It would be completely remiss of me to think that we could ever plan for an incident of this scale.”
The response drew on existing resilience arrangements, including a voluntary recall to duty that brought trained firefighters in to help. Gemma said the model worked well and that many staff came forward, including some who were on leave.
In fire control, Beth, who is a Watch Commander with seven years experience, spoke about this summer, where call volumes were four times the usual level – true spate conditions. She and Gemma remarked on the strong performance of the service’s new dispatch (CAD) system, Motorola’s Guardian Command, which helped operators manage repeat calls and track incidents despite high call volumes.
The pressure was felt by control room staff as well as firefighters. Welfare breaks, time away from screens, reflection rooms and specially trained colleagues to conduct debriefs helped support staff through distressing calls and long periods of demand. “We are human, and just because we don’t visually see what is on the other side of the phone, dealing with any traumatic call can take a toll on anyone in fire control,” Beth shared.
On the fireground, firefighters wore structural firefighting protective equipment in extreme heat. Gemma said the experience had highlighted the physiological strain it could cause. WMFS is now reviewing future provision, including when its lightwear tunic can be used safely for wildfire incidents. The service also plans to formalise welfare arrangements for prolonged operations. During the fires, police patrols delivered food and water, while businesses and the public made donations. One of the learning points shared by Gemma is to look at introducing a tiered approach that would set out support according to the nature and duration of an incident.
One interesting development from this incident is how WMFS has not only strengthened its relationships within the Local Resilience Forum but also farmers and agricultural groups, including the National Farmers’ Union and the Country Land and Business Association. Gemma said closer collaboration could improve tactical and water planning. WMFS is reviewing the National Fire Chiefs Council’s wildfire competence framework and sharing lessons through national learning processes as well.
It is clear from our conversation that preparedness means continuing to exercise, review equipment and adapt. The Stourbridge response relied on trained staff, mutual aid, control room systems and community support, but it also revealed where plans need to evolve and change. As Gemma puts it in simple terms: “we can’t just keep doing things the same way.”
Listen to the full interview with Gemma and Beth on this bonus episode of For Every Response, the podcast from Emergency Services Times.
