Dozens of firefighters were deployed across the West Midlands on Tuesday afternoon after a large blaze at Clayhanger Common and four further grass fires at locations including Tipton, Coventry, Dudley and Kings Norton.
Evacuations and containment
West Midlands Police said the fire at Clayhanger Common, near Clayhanger Road and Lindon Road in Walsall, was reported shortly after 15:20 BST following multiple calls about smoke and flames. Fifteen homes were evacuated at first to allow crews to get the incident under control; residents were later permitted to return.
The fire service described the Clayhanger blaze as around 200 square metres in size, affecting roughly half of a field reported to be about 70 acres. Crews planned to evacuate a further 60 homes as a precaution, but that action was not required once firefighters had contained the flames by about 17:30 BST.
Other incidents across the region
Firefighters were also sent to tackle grass and field fires at:
- Sheepwash Lane, Tipton
- Brownshill Green Road, Coventry
- Warrens Hall Nature Reserve, Dudley
- Gildas Avenue, Kings Norton, Birmingham
Around eight fire crews attended the Clayhanger incident and used water from the nearby canal to support firefighting efforts. There were no reports of injuries at any of the incidents.
Local impact and advice
The fires produced significant smoke that was carried in multiple directions by swirling winds, prompting the precautionary evacuations. Residents in affected areas experienced disruption while crews worked to contain the blazes.
In situations of grass or field fires, emergency services typically advise neighbours to:
- Follow any evacuation instructions from police or fire officers promptly
- Keep windows and doors closed if smoke is affecting nearby properties
- Avoid driving through smoke-affected roads to reduce risk and allow emergency access
| Location | Reported detail |
|---|---|
| Clayhanger Common, Walsall | ~200 sqm; 15 homes evacuated initially; 8 fire crews; canal water used |
| Sheepwash Lane, Tipton | Grass fire |
| Brownshill Green Road, Coventry | Grass fire |
| Warrens Hall Nature Reserve, Dudley | Grass fire |
| Gildas Avenue, Kings Norton | Large fire |
West Midlands Police and the fire service coordinated the response. At the time of reporting, the incidents were under control and there were no reports of injuries.
More information will be provided by the emergency services as investigations into the cause of the fires continue.
