Severe Alert from the UK Government

Belperpete · 14 Aug 2026

Cdd89 said:
My suspicion is that the English version was sent to all subscribers, and the Welsh version was additionally sent to a subset. As opposed to what might be implied above, whereby an English version was sent to everywhere except Wales, and an English (separately) and Welsh version was sent to Wales. This would make sense as otherwise you could have edge cases where people on or crossing the border fail to receive any message.

If my suspicion is correct, and if there is evidence that the Welsh messages slowed down receipt of the English one in Wales by clogging up delivery in that region, then I would argue we very much should slow down the Welsh message until delivery of the English messages are broadly completed and the government can be confident the Welsh messages won't be adding to the backlog. Your original point was very valid, except that 'thousands' may well be an underestimate in the wrong circumstances.

According to the uk.gov website, the messages are sent out on a rolling basis, starting from 1900. I didn't receive mine until about 1950. So it might well be that the English language version takes longer to roll-out than the Welsh language version, considering the numbers involved. I don't see any need for ridiculous conspiracy theories.

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WelshBluebird said:
Defo don't think its a misuse. People who think that - have you seen the devastation caused in Stourbridge? Or the fires in South Wales that are threatening house that have required the military being brought in? Clearly people cant just use common sense.

Yes, but was it really necessary to send it out to areas that have had rain recently, and where everything is nice and green again? Surely it should be possible to target it? Or is it a matter of its either a localised message, or national, with nothing in-between?

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najaB · 14 Aug 2026

Belperpete said:
Yes, but was it really necessary to send it out to areas that have had rain recently, and where everything is nice and green again? Surely it should be possible to target it? Or is it a matter of its either a localised message, or national, with nothing in-between?

Just because the subscriber was located in a nice and green area today, it doesn't mean that they might not be in a dry and brown one tomorrow.

WelshBluebird · 14 Aug 2026

Belperpete said:
Yes, but was it really necessary to send it out to areas that have had rain recently, and where everything is nice and green again? Surely it should be possible to target it? Or is it a matter of its either a localised message, or national, with nothing in-between?

Im not that knowledgeable about the system but the wildfires have been occurring over large portions of the country. Enough that a nationwide message makes sense to me at least.

Belperpete · 14 Aug 2026

najaB said:
Just because the subscriber was located in a nice and green area today, it doesn't mean that they might not be in a dry and brown one tomorrow.

So should it have been sent out world wide? After all, just consider how many people fly into Heathrow and Gatwick every day, and how many come through the Channel Tunnel.

GusB · 14 Aug 2026

I'm not getting what all the fuss is about. The alerts can be turned off and it's not as if the government is sending them out willy-nilly every other week.

As to whether the situation is severe enough to warrant an alert, I think it probably is. The risk of wildfires is very real and, sadly, I don't think we can rely on everyone to exercise common sense!

There's also the fact that resources are scarce too - it's likely that the fire service in one area will call in support from neighbouring areas if a fire is severe enough, so it's prudent to minimise the risk.

najaB · 14 Aug 2026

Belperpete said:
So should it have been sent out world wide?

Well no. The UK government has no responsibility for wildfire prevention outside the UK.

(If you're going to ask silly questions, you'll get silly answers.

)

PudseyBearHST · 14 Aug 2026

pokemonsuper9 said:
I've turned them off now, they don't get to disturb me because the grass is a bit dry

How do you disable it please

najaB · 15 Aug 2026

PudseyBearHST said:
How do you disable it please

Depends entirely on the phone so you're best placed to look it up.

JamesT · 15 Aug 2026

Mattplans said:
I just got it again. Absolutely no need for either of them. I'm not sure it was intentional, but they've pretty much got one more shot in my book before I switch it off.

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I received the alert on my old iphone that has no SIM and I'm a bit curious about how that works. It is connected to WiFi so I don't see another way.

Mobile phones can connect if they have signal even without a sim or a service plan. This is to allow them to make 999 calls. Clearly this must also work in reverse, any phone with a live cell connection will be sent the emergency alert.

Cdd89 · 15 Aug 2026

Belperpete said:
According to the uk.gov website, the messages are sent out on a rolling basis, starting from 1900. I didn't receive mine until about 1950. So it might well be that the English language version takes longer to roll-out than the Welsh language version, considering the numbers involved. I don't see any need for ridiculous conspiracy theories

It's not a "conspiracy theory" that some people received the Welsh message before they received the English message. While I have speculated on one possible cause, the reason why this happened is ultimately immaterial, merely that it did happen and delivery of messages in English could have been faster, as demonstrated by the fact that some people who received a Welsh message first would have been notified sooner had it been in English. Even sending it in English, and also in English and Welsh, would have been better.

I believe you are making the mistake of assuming that future messages will be equally low severity. In such cases, I agree it doesn't matter. But the principle from which the system should be designed and operated is "every second costs lives". I'm not as critical of this message as some posters, especially if it tests and exposes flaws like this one, but the primary purpose of this system is for time-critical life-threatening emergencies. It is disinterest of the highest order to dismiss what would appear to be an avoidable delay in notification.

Harpo · 15 Aug 2026

The eighteen homes consumed in apocalyptic*-looking scenes at Stourbridge, with other homes threatened elsewhere, fully justify the alert in my view.

The transmission sequence over 5-10 minutes in our household went:
- EE Welsh (no translation available)
- Vodaphone Welsh (no translation available)
- EE English
- Vodaphone English
Acceptable for these circumstances but let’s hope the system isn’t called on for something far more imminent.

* No apologies for anyone finding that hyperbolic and a great relief that a non-London/SE event is being treated with such severity.

Sir Felix Pole · 15 Aug 2026

How dare the government send me an alert that, you know, could prevent a major tragedy seems to be the absurd reaction of some posters. I'm going to disable future alerts - that'll teach them! Well, more fool you. The traditional method of announcing it on the BBC just doesn't work any more in the modern age.

Most of England and Wales is like a tinderbox so a nationwide alert is appropriate - spare a thought for the folk in Stourbridge whose homes have been destroyed. I'm in Devon at the moment - the trees are in serious distress and the ground baked hard. There are going to be serious flash flooding issues if (!) the rain comes.

davews · 15 Aug 2026

I have turned them off as I rarely have my phone on me, it usually sits at home. But seriously with all the publicity on the TV etc was it really necessary? I am fully aware of the fire risk, hopefully soon to end. We did have a minor house fire round the corner a few weeks ago, but not sure if the heat wave was involved. The Stourbridge blaze is suspicious in the number of houses destroyed from what seemed initially a fairly small fire, I understand it is being investigated as a crime scene. Was it started with a portable barbecue - or for that matter how many of these fires have been caused by a portable barbecue, we are not being told? To ban their sale may be a grandstanding exercise for Burnham (note the irony in his name..) but probably will do nothing whatsoever to reduce the number of fires.

Yew · 15 Aug 2026

WelshBluebird said:
Enough that a nationwide message makes sense to me at least.

Nobody is saying that the only other option is nothing, just that a severe alert using this system is not proportional; there are other means of communication that could be used.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Aug 2026 ==

Sir Felix Pole said:
How dare the government send me an alert that, you know, could prevent a major tragedy seems to be the absurd reaction of some posters.

"Please don't have a BBQ" is hardly a Severe alert.

Sir Felix Pole said:
The traditional method of announcing it on the BBC just doesn't work any more in the modern age.

Do you have any evidence of that, or is that just an opinion? We managed to communicate COVID restrictions without the alert system just fine without this system. Similarly, the Government could have just sent an SMS.

Sir Felix Pole said:
Most of England and Wales is like a tinderbox so a nationwide alert is appropriate

Quite possibly, but that's not what we're talking about, is it? We're talking about "is a servere alert using this system apropriate" and the manner of delivery (a loud continuous warning tone that required urgent and immediate attention) was not in keeping with a message asking you not to have a BBQ.

If we look at the governments advice:

What you need to do

When you get an alert, stop what you’re doing and follow the instructions in the alert.

Are we really suggesting that the message "please don't have a BBQ", was serious enough to require everyone to stop what they were doing, and immediately check. And that we couldn't have got the message out as effectively in other ways?

jupiter · 15 Aug 2026

It seems the fire and rescue services are stretched to breaking point dealing with wildfires. Crews are travelling way out of their counties to relieve local crews. I think the risk level nationally is probably far higher than we’d like to believe.

Given most people’s phones are binging off all day long it seems a bit of an overreaction to an alert message?

It’s a bizarre reaction to turn them off when they’re designed to benefit both you and everyone around you. A bit childish really.

Yew · 15 Aug 2026

jupiter said:
It’s a bizarre reaction to turn them off when they’re designed to benefit both you and everyone around you.

Not an unexpected reaction when the system is being used for something as trivial as asking people not to have a campfire.

Bayum · 15 Aug 2026

AlterEgo said:
There wouldn't be a single person on this thread who, if the PM had made a special address on BBC or done a whole load of press tomorrow morning, would complain that "this should really be an emergency alert".

But also relies on people watching the BBC and not a competitors channel.

Yew · 15 Aug 2026

Bayum said:
But also relies on people watching the BBC and not a competitors channel.

Typically these stories are picked up by many channels, I don't think anyone is suggesting that the message should have been sent out by only the BBC, more that it is being used as an example.

jfollows · 15 Aug 2026

I'm not upset or annoyed by this, but I firmly believe that you can tell when politicians are lying when their lips move, they are self-serving, and I do not trust anything from the government which I can't independently verify.
The good news is that today it's easy to verify, the information is out there. Covid in particular highlighted the need to do this.
I also am well aware of the risks and have no intention of ever using a portable barbecue, nor of using any other sort of barbecue for the time being.
So I don't need or want this sort of "alert" so I've turned it off. Job done.
People are different, so there may be someone out there who receives it and acts differently because of it. But in general it seems to me to be something done so that Andy Burnham can be seen to have done "something". It probably doesn't do any harm but it doesn't make me think any better of him than I did.

MP33 · 15 Aug 2026

Last night, I was appearing at an open mic. Which was disrupted by these alerts. When I went on stage. I started off, by announcing that I will be playing something that is top of the download hit parade. I then hit one note on the instrument, whilst saying don't panic, don't panic Captain Burnham.

Hadders · 15 Aug 2026

Belperpete said:
Yes, but was it really necessary to send it out to areas that have had rain recently, and where everything is nice and green again?

The alert was sent to phones in England and Wales. Where in England and Wales has there been significant rain recently such that everything is nice and green again?

davews said:
I have turned them off as I rarely have my phone on me, it usually sits at home.

Better hope there's not an emergency that you need to be aware of whilst you're at home!

davews said:
But seriously with all the publicity on the TV etc was it really necessary?

TV viewing (and traditional media) is in massive decline. That's why different ways need to be found to communicate with the population quickly and at short notice.

It seems to me that the system of emergency phone alerts isn't the issue here rather does the current fire risk caused by the dry weather constitute a reason to send an aleret to everyone.

Farang · 15 Aug 2026

In the words of the song, I knew before.

So I've turned them off.

Lewisham2221 · 15 Aug 2026

pokemonsuper9 said:
Looking up what you mean by Stourbridge (how have I not heard about that!) yes absolutely an alert should've gone out to people in the area there to warn them they may need to be evacuated and to be cautious of the fire.
The whole country did not need to be disturbed by a couple barbeques

Yet you've just highlighted a perfect example of why this method of communication was probably chosen. The Stourbridge incident was all over the mainstream media yesterday. There was plenty of coverage in some of my social media feeds too. Yet you were completely unaware of this. At the same time as the Stourbridge incident was ongoing, a similar, but smaller scale, incident was unfolding in Stoke-on-Trent. Four homes were destroyed by a fire which started on grass in a neighbouring park and rapidly spread to adjoining gardens and homes. There were suggestions it was started by somebody using a disposable barbecue at the opposite end of the park. Far less media coverage - it got a passing mention in coverage of the Stourbridge fires - if I hadn't seen the smoke from across the city, maybe I wouldn't have known about it at all.

My point is two fold. Clearly mainstream media is a much less effective communication tool for important messaging these days. Secondly, this doesn't need to be an active fire to be an urgent issue. The urgent issue here is that everything is so god damn dry that these kinds of fires are starting extremely easily and spreading extremely easily and extremely rapidly. They're causing huge amounts of damage (thankfully nothing yet on the scale of those wildfires we see from abroad) and putting huge pressure on resources. Aerial footage of the Stourbridge incident clearly showed a number of secondary fires, quite some distance from the original fire, presumably caused by embers from the original fire.

This no longer just a few grass fires. This is no longer only affecting the countryside and green spaces. This not about a couple of barbecues. This is our overstretched emergency services telling us all to take a bit of extra responsibility because they may not be able to save us, or our property.

(Apologies for the bit of a rant, it's not all aimed directly at you @pokemonsuper9 )

Harpo · 15 Aug 2026

Lewisham2221 said:
our overstretched emergency services

Neatly illustrated last night by TV coverage of a fire at Ferndale in the Rhondda valley with a Gloucestershire fire appliance in attendance.

greatkingrat · 15 Aug 2026

And now Surrey Fire & Rescue Service have had to put out a statement asking people to stop dialling 999 to report their neighbours having BBQs!

Please only call 999 if there is an emergency or a fire producing significant smoke. We have had a high volume of calls to our 999 control room this evening. We understand residents may be concerned, but we are unable to respond to reports of neighbours having BBQs, bonfires or campfires in their gardens unless there is an emergency. We support the Government's message on this and would strongly advise against having bonfires, fireworks, campfires or disposable BBQs during this period. Fires can spread quickly and become difficult to control, putting your home and neighbouring properties at risk.

WelshBluebird · 15 Aug 2026

Yew said:
"Please don't have a BBQ" is hardly a Severe alert.

If it wasnt we wouldnt need to be banning the sale of them etc. Sadly people are either complete idiots or are incredibly selfish and so are creating real high risk dangers to large parts of the country.

Yew said:
Are we really suggesting that the message "please don't have a BBQ", was serious enough to require everyone to stop what they were doing, and immediately check.

Given morons arent using their brains and are endangering large portions of the country, yes.

Yew said:
And that we couldn't have got the message out as effectively in other ways?

Not in a way that would get to everyone. Gone are the days everyone is watching the bbc.

Yew said:
Not an unexpected reaction when the system is being used for something as trivial as asking people not to have a campfire.

Given the situation it isnt trivial though.

najaB · 15 Aug 2026

greatkingrat said:
And now Surrey Fire & Rescue Service have had to put out a statement asking people to stop dialling 999 to report their neighbours having BBQs!

There goes the "It's common sense not to have a barbeque" argument!

WelshBluebird · 15 Aug 2026

pokemonsuper9 said:
Looking up what you mean by Stourbridge (how have I not heard about that!) yes absolutely an alert should've gone out to people in the area there to warn them they may need to be evacuated and to be cautious of the fire.

The alert wasnt about places already on fire. It was about the fact the whole country is a tinderbox and we could get very similar events nationwide unless people stop being idiots / selfish.

adc82140 · 15 Aug 2026

I live within 6 miles of the New Forest fire. The perma-thick are still having BBQs and camp fires despite many local media warnings, signs etc, two BBQs in the open have caused additional fires this week. I think the sledgehammer approach was needed to focus some minds.

Lewisham2221 · 15 Aug 2026

WelshBluebird said:
The alert wasnt about places already on fire. It was about the fact the whole country is a tinderbox and we could get very similar events nationwide unless people stop being idiots / selfish.

It's not even just about being idiots/selfish at this point. People might think they're fine (or even being responsible) with something like a barbecue if they make sure it's off the ground/on a non-flammable surface, they keep a supply of water nearby and supervise it at all times. And "normally" that might be fine. But right now, one stray ember or hot ash floating away could be devastating. Likewise for "responsible" fires in a firepit, chimnea etc.

I've seen reports of motorsports venues banning any outdoor welding, angle grinding etc. I suspect sparks from these kinds of activities are something many people wouldn't really think about in relation to "wildfires" - perhaps something about this should've been included in the messaging as well.

Severe Alert from the UK Government

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