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Firefighters looking at the burnt out remains of a house following a huge blaze in Stourbridge, in the West Midlands, which forced some people to flee after it started tearing through homes
COMMUNITIES have raised more than £125,000 in appeals following the major wildfires in Stourbridge, Birmingham, Pershore and Stoke-on-Trent.
An emergency appeal will see funds handed to key agencies in the area today to help those affected by last week’s fires in the West Midlands.
The Heart of England Community Foundation said it had raised more than £50,000 as of Saturday morning.
Its chief executive Tina Costello said: “What’s really important is that this money goes to the people and the families that are affected and impacted by it. Communities are rallying together”
More than £20,690 has been raised across three appeals for families who have lost their homes in Stourbridge.
Six others for families on Gorleston Road in Birmingham, with more than £32,000 raised as of Saturday morning.
A fundraiser in Pershore, Worcestershire, has raised more than £11,700 so far, while an appeal in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, has collected more than £11,100.
Emergency phone alerts could help Britain respond to rising wildfire risk, but Australia’s experience suggests they work best as part of a broader strategy, write ELLIOT CONVERY-FISHER and KATE PARKINS