Firefighters reveal what caused Stourbridge wildfires that nearly destroyed town

Barney Davis | Night News Editor Published August 26, 2026 3:12pm Updated August 26, 2026 3:17pm West Midlands Fire Service has issued an update on what caused wildfires to destroy 19 homes in Stourbridge. The two blazes were started accidentally in a field where agricultural machinery was being used, West Midlands Fire Service said. Specialist fire investigators established that farming equipment was being used in the close to both fields immediately before the fires were first reported. They stressed the fires were not started deliberately. Chief Fire Officer Simon Tuhill said: ‘Our thoughts remain with everyone affected, whether directly or indirectly, by events on 13 August in Stourbridge and beyond. ‘Many people in Stourbridge face having to rebuild homes and lives and, understandably