UK to Get Its First Firefighting Planes After Stourbridge Wildfires

Wildfires fueled by a record 38.1°C heatwave destroyed 19 homes in Stourbridge. Visiting on 15 August, Andy Burnham called Britain a "tinderbox" and announced the UK's first firefighting planes. Britain has always fought fires from the ground. With no timeline set, ground crews will likely remain the main defense through the 2026 fire season.