Skip to main content
close

Daily residents' briefing and updates - major wildfire in Norton, Stourbridge

Daily briefings take place at 2pm. View the briefings and ongoing updates here.

Norton Fires – Residents and community updates

Live updates
Last updated Sunday 16 August, 7.25pm

Residents will receive key information on this page to provide support and updates.

Sunday 16 August

7.25pm

Stourbridge Golf Club meeting point to close at 10pm, reopening at 8am Monday 17 August

West Midlands Fire Service has announced that, for resident safety, the Stourbridge Golf Club meeting point will close at 10pm tonight, reopening at 8am tomorrow, Monday 17 August.

https://www.wmfs.net/news/stourbridge-fire-sunday/ 

7.00pm

Free mental health support for residents impacted by the local wildfires

Residents who may be struggling with their mental health following recent events can access free, qualified mental health support through local organisations offering immediate access to counselling and therapeutic support for both adults and children.

Early intervention can play a vital role in helping people cope with trauma, anxiety, stress and emotional distress. Residents do not need to wait for a referral to access the support being offered.

Two local organisations have offered free support to residents:

Neuro by Nature Therapy

Qualified therapeutic support provided by Claire Betson.

The Fine Collective

Qualified mental health and wellbeing support coordinated by Ruth Hill in partnership with the WHAT Centre, Stourbridge.

Residents experiencing mental health difficulties are encouraged to seek support as early as possible.

If you are in immediate crisis or believe there is a risk of serious harm, please contact NHS 111, your GP, or 999 in an emergency.  Please contact your GP or residents can self-refer to NHS talking therapies.

The council would like to thank both organisations for their support of local residents during this difficult time.

Please note these services have independently and voluntarily offered support to residents. The information is shared for awareness only and is not a Dudley Council commissioned service.

5.20pm

Amber zone - welfare and support

This evening, multi-agency teams (Dudley Council, West Midlands Police and West Midlands Fire Service) are carrying out door-to-door visits to properties within the amber zone to check on residents' welfare and identify any immediate support needs, including whether temporary boarding up of properties is required.

Where residents have already been advised by their insurers that boarding up will take place, officers will discuss with them whether any additional measures are needed tonight to help ensure the security of their property.

We will continue to provide further updates with advice, guidance and support.

 

 

5.00pm

Norton Fires - update on waste collections

Dudley Council continues to support residents and will be providing additional waste collection and practical assistance over the coming days.
 
Our immediate priority is to help residents who have returned to their homes and need to safely dispose of perishable food and other items that may have been affected.
 
However, we strongly encourage residents to exercise caution before disposing of any damaged belongings that may be required as evidence for insurance purposes. If you believe you may need to make an insurance claim, please contact your insurer first and, where possible, take photographs of any damaged items before disposal.
 
The Council will provide clear advice and guidance to residents on how best to manage waste and household items while protecting their interests should they need to pursue an insurance claim over the next few days
 
We recognise that this is a very difficult time for many residents and are committed to providing practical support. Additional arrangements for waste disposal and collection will be made available where appropriate, with further details to be shared over the next few days.
 
Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we continue to support the community.

 

 

 

2.00pm

Daily briefing - 16 August 2026

The latest daily briefing is now available: Daily briefings

 

 

 

1.00pm

Mental health support

For urgent mental health support, please contact NHS 111 and select option 2. Anyone struggling in the coming days and weeks should contact their GP or can self refer to NHS Talking Therapies.

 

 

 

12.00pm

Road opening update

If your road is NOT listed below, you can return to your home. You do not need to attend Stourbridge Golf Club for confirmation:

  • Brunswick Avenue
  • Landsgate
  • Ounty John Lane
  • Quarry Park Road
  • Racecourse Lane

Follow West Midlands Fire Service for more road updates.

 

 

 

10.25am

List of pharmacies open today

Pharmacy

Saturday

Sunday

Peak, Lion Health

9am – 5:30pm

Closed

Swinford Pharmacy

9am – 12 noon

Closed

Day Night Pharmacy Lye

9am – 9pm

10am – 4pm

Brierley Hill Pharmacy (Brierley Hill Health and Social Care Centre)

5pm-9pm

9:30am-10:30pm

Boots Merry Hill

9am – 6pm

11am – 5pm

Broadway Pharmacy are opened on Sunday but only for direct referrals from St John’s Ambulance

 

 

 

10.00am

Update on Waste and Recycling for residents returning to their properties

As residents return to their properties, we will be carrying out a special collection of perishable waste only.

Please place perishable items at the kerbside, either:

  • Bagged securely, or
  • In your wheelie bin.

Examples include:

  • Food waste
  • Defrosted fridge and freezer contents
  • Other spoiled or perishable household items

Please note: We will not be collecting bulky waste, household rubbish, furniture, electrical items, or any other non-perishable waste today. Collections are limited to perishable goods only.

Thank you for your cooperation as we work to support affected residents.