Multiple fires are burning across the West Midlands as the UK records its hottest day of the year
In Stourbridge, a large grass fire has spread to several homes and two people have been hurt
A major incident is declared over a large fire in Warwickshire
A woman was seriously injured in a fire which ripped through houses in Castle Vale, Birmingham
Fires also broke out in the Sandyford area of Stoke-on-Trent as well as in Pershore, Worcestershire, which is now under control
A northbound stretch of the M6 has reopened after being shut due to smoke on the carriageway, causing delays of two-and-a-half hours
Three firefighters have been taken to hospital while tackling blazes in the region, West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service said.
That is in addition to six members of the public who have been treated for the effects of breathing in smoke and one child taken to hospital.
Fires have burned across Stourbridge, Druids Heath and Castle Vale this afternoon.
The fire in Pershore, Worcestershire is under control, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed.
It comes after eight fire engines were sent to Lancelott Court, off Three Springs Road, at about 16:30 BST.
A spokesperson for the fire service also said one person was treated for smoke inhalation and 30 homes in the area were evacuated. .
They also said about 200 properties were currently without power.
A Pershore resident, who did not want to give their name, said she heard a "massive explosion" from several roads distance from where the fire started.
"I ran up Newlands, on the top of Three Springs Road. We dialled 999, about five or six of us dialled 999, and the smoke and the fire was horrible," she said.
"Because of the wind, the fire has blown from the house it started at to about seven houses, including my cousin's."
Image source, James LeesThe woman added: "I'd like to give a shoutout to Asda as they brought everyone as many bottles of water as they could.
"They must have brought dozens of bottles of water up."
Asked how the fire was looking now, she said the blaze looked as though it was "contained".
"Police have told us that they think people whose houses haven't been affected could be back in their homes probably in the next hour or so," she said.
Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport senior footballer reporter
I could see the fire in Stourbridge from the air earlier this afternoon as I returned from covering Aston Villa's Super Cup defeat to PSG in Saltzburg.
I started getting messages about the fire before we took off from Munich.
It was clearly a major incident - the smoke was spreading miles - and it seems to have only got worse as I returned to Stourbridge.
The fires themselves are about a mile away from us and outside of the centre of Stourbridge so everyone is very nervous and worried.
Naturally we're all hoping it is put under control and are thinking of those already affected.
Police have closed Wignall Road from Ridge Road up to Maureen Avenue while firefighters tackle the blaze in the Sandyford area.
Goldenhill Community Centre is currently open for any local residents who require support, they said.
Image source, GoogleTo keep up-to-date on the fires - as well as following us here on the live page, our colleagues at BBC Radio are running a special programme this evening across the West Midlands.
You can listen live with Daz Hale hosting until 22:00 BST.
Josh Sandiford
BBC News, West Midlands
Image source, Robert StarrThese are the latest photos from the scene on Hillmeads Road, in Druids Heath.
West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service says crews are currently responding to "multiple fires across the local area", including incidents at The Dell in Druids Heath and along Hillmeads Road in Kings Norton.
"Crews are on site managing the situations. Emergency services are advising all residents living nearby to keep their windows and doors firmly closed to avoid smoke inhalation," a spokesperson said.
"People are also being asked to avoid both areas where possible to allow emergency vehicles clear access to the scenes."
Image source, Robert StarrThe M6 has now reopened northbound between junctions five and six, although there are delays of about two-and-a-half hours for drivers stuck in that traffic, National Highways said.
Earlier, the organisation said the carriageway would not reopen until the fire commander at the scene was happy the blaze was out.
Multiple fires have been reported across the West Midlands starting with a blaze in Stourbridge.
About 100 firefighters have been tackling a huge grass fire near Stourbridge Golf Course, with flames said by witnesses to be spreading across roads in some places.
West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) confirmed six homes were affected by the fire, while two people were injured.
Image source, WMFSElsewhere, homes in Castle Vale, Birmingham, were badly damaged by a fire with one woman reported to have suffered serious injuries, according to WMFS.
Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident due to a "large fire" at Tothall Lane, Salford Priors, near Alcester.
People have been told to avoid the area, as well as keep doors and windows shut.
There has also been a fire in Sandyford, Stoke-on-Trent.
A small number of homes have been evacuated from the Sandy Road, according Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service.
In Worcestershire, at 16:30 police and fire crews were called to Three Springs Road, Pershore.
Hereford and Worcester Fire Service said eight fire engines were sent to the scene where one eyewitness estimated as many as six homes could be affected.
Image source, James Lees
One local resident in Stoke-on-Trent says it was "quite worrying" seeing the smoke.
He that people didn't know where it might spread to, which was another concern.
Another says members of the community have turned out to help extinguish the blaze.
"We've been trying to help a bit where we can, with hosepipes and buckets of water and stuff. It's been a team effort really."
He added that he noticed "plumes and plumes of smoke" when he looked out of his window, and that he felt sorry for those living closer to the blaze.
Image source, James LeesPershore resident James Lees said the fire had been the worst he had seen in the 10 years he had lived there.
"I saw a lot of smoke and before the fire service arrived there was a fire in what looked like somebody's back garden," he said.
"Other people have said it was a shed.
"All of a sudden a big puff of smoke came from a house, probably about four doors down from where it originally began.
"It was big black billowing smoke and then it has kind of just spread across the houses like a domino effect.
"Now there's probably about five or six houses that are just covered in smoke - you can see flames at the front and out at the back.
"It's quite a serious situation. It's not nice to see and I feel really sorry for the people who are affected."
Watch: fire in Stourbridge
Dave Edwards, whose home backs on to Norton Covert, in Stourbridge, says he was told to prepare to leave as the fire spread.
Residents of the covert were told to wet their fences and prepare to evacuate, as the community came together to try and "muck in", including giving drinks to the fire crews.
Edwards said police helicopters had been flying overhead and firefighters seemed concerned as the flames spread.
"It looks like it's largely under control now," he said. "The firefighters have been fantastic."
A fire next to the M6, keeps on reigniting, National Highways has said.
The northbound carriageway remains closed between junctions four and five due to smoke billowing on the motorway.
Delays in the area are now running at two hours, National Highways said, with five miles of tailbacks.
It said the fire Commander at the scene was not happy for the carriageway to be reopened until the fire was fully extinguished.
Josh Sandiford
BBC News, West Midlands
I’m on Tangmere Drive in Castle Vale, where two bungalows appear to have been almost completely gutted by fire, with a third sustaining damage.
I could smell what smelt like charred wood in the air as I approached the scene - part of a roof has caved in leaving blackened timbers exposed to the sky and tiles have collapsed inwards. Window frames and doors below seem to be burnt through.
A police cordon is up and a police van is parked outside. National Grid and Cadent officers are here too alongside police and a final fire van.
One woman living nearby, who didn’t want to be named, told me it was terrible and that she had never seen anything like it.We still don’t know what caused the fire here. WMFS says it started in one bungalow and spread to two neighbouring properties."
Hereford and Worcester Fire Service said it was called to Three Springs Road, Pershore at about 16:15 BST.
A service spokesperson said eight fire engines had been deployed to the scene.
They also said residents living nearby had been asked to keep windows and doors shut.
Image source, St Michael’s Church Norton / FacebookWe are being told of a "huge community effort" in Stourbridge.
This includes a window cleaner who has turned up, offering to help extinguish small fires with the water he carries for his job.
St Michael’s Church Norton has also offered support to people affected by the fire who are in need of a safe space.
They have asked people to send them a private message so they can arrange for the building to be opened.
A small number of homes have been evacuated from the Sandy Road area of Goldenhill in Stoke-on-Trent, according to the fire service.
"Further evacuations may take place in due course," the fire service added.
"People are urged to avoid the area and close their windows and doors as a precaution."
Image source, Courtney HarperWe've just been sent these photos of another fire, this time in the Druids Heath area of Birmingham.
Nearby resident Courtney Harper, who took the photos from a flat overlooking the area, tells the BBC it looks like it has broken out on land near Manningford Road and Pennyacre Road.
West Midlands Fire Service has been contacted for confirmation.
Image source, Courtney Harper
Image source, Courtney HarperThe M6 northbound remains closed near Birmingham, between junctions five and six, due to a fire.
National Highways said thick smoke was billowing across the carriageway.
It said there were currently delays of 90 minutes, with congestion backing up to junction four.
The southbound carriageway remains open at the moment, but reduced speeds are in place.
Image source, Max BeckerlegMax Beckerleg, an eyewitness at the Stourbridge fire, said he could see smoke "from miles away".
"Police have cordoned off the area around but the whole area is covered in a thick layer of smoke," he said.
"I watched as the woodlands went up in flames on the golf course while we tried to beat it out with leaves and sticks to prevent it spreading further up to the golf club.
"A member at the golf club was cornered in by the fast-moving fire before he was evacuated by other members in golf buggies."
