Fire services: ‘Save 999 calls for emergencies – not dobbing in next door’s BBQ’

Sam Corbishley | Senior News Reporter Published August 15, 2026 7:48am Updated August 15, 2026 7:48am Prime Minister Andy Burnham has also urged people not to light fires in ‘tinderbox’ Britain (Picture: Reuters) Fire services have urged people not to save 999 calls for genuine emergencies following the Government’s wildfires alert. Millions of phones blasted into life yesterday evening with the alarm warning people not to light anything which could spark a wildfire, including barbecues and garden incinerators. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has also urged people not to light fires in ‘tinderbox’ Britain after visiting Stourbridge in the West Midlands, where a wildfire spread across more than 500 acres and destroyed 19 homes earlier this week. In the town, he announced a temporary ban on disp