Millions of people in England and Wales receive an emergency alert on their mobile phones warning of a serious wildfire risk. The alert is sent with an audible siren and tells residents not to do anything that could spark a fire. Several outlets report the message goes out at about 7pm on the day of the alert.
The government urges people to avoid lighting barbecues, campfires and fireworks, citing extreme heat and the risk that small ignition sources could spread. The Guardian reports the deputy prime minister, Louise Haigh, describes it as the most extensive use of the emergency alert system so far. The Independent and Yahoo UK News provide similar descriptions of the warning and the expectation that it will reach phones across the two nations.
