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Government Alert about Wildfires

(84 Posts)
TerriBull Fri 14-Aug-26 19:04:53

I've just had one, I nearly jumped out of my skin shock not a sound I usually associate with my phone.

Anyone else?

Greyduster Wed 19-Aug-26 11:52:36

If they’re preparing for war, nanna8, I hope they’re being a bit more imaginative than trying to scare the enemy to death with sudden loud noises!

nanna8 Mon 17-Aug-26 12:50:31

Preparing for war I think .

Slimswim Mon 17-Aug-26 12:46:25

The notification can be switched off in the settings menu.

JaneJudge Sat 15-Aug-26 12:10:43

it made all the dogs bark here

MT62 Sat 15-Aug-26 10:37:55

Bukkie

I initially thought it was a klaxon on the athletics I was watching.

😂

glammagran Sat 15-Aug-26 09:43:16

That alert scared the life out of me. So much so I just knocked over the disposable BBQ and now the garden's gone up in flames.

(Copied and pasted joke).

Oreo Sat 15-Aug-26 09:41:07

😂

Galaxy Sat 15-Aug-26 09:39:06

I think i must have had a new phone since the last one, I had previously switched off alerts. If I am about to be vapourised the last thing I want is contact from the government.

Oreo Sat 15-Aug-26 09:37:00

I thought WW 3 was being declared!
I must be of a nervous disposition cos it made me almost jump in the air.

Dickens Sat 15-Aug-26 09:26:35

Sago

Extratime

Not sure if the message has got through to everyone. There were fireworks here last night after the alert!

And this is exactly why we have to have such alerts because of the hopefully small percentage of our population who are thick and entitled.

Like all such similar warnings - 'Don't-Drink-And-Drive', 'Watch-Your-Speed', etc, this one will also be ignored by those (hopefully) small percentage of self-entitled, arrogant individuals.

I 'met' one on the BBC HYS comments section only yesterday who said that personal freedom was being eroded by a possible ban on the sale of disposable BBQs.

It's also being scoffed at by teenage boys encouraging each other on Tik-Tok to "set fire to stuff" in the latest and seemingly endless "challenges" prevalent on that website.

Sago Sat 15-Aug-26 08:32:47

Extratime

Not sure if the message has got through to everyone. There were fireworks here last night after the alert!

And this is exactly why we have to have such alerts because of the hopefully small percentage of our population who are thick and entitled.

Extratime Sat 15-Aug-26 08:01:23

Not sure if the message has got through to everyone. There were fireworks here last night after the alert!

Nannylovesshopping Sat 15-Aug-26 07:56:04

I had another at 10.45pm.

eazybee Sat 15-Aug-26 07:50:05

Heard it at 7pm but thought something had gone horribly wrong with my washing machine as phone was out of sight at bottom of handbag. Played again at 10pm and realised it was my phone. A silly stunt, should be reserved for warnings of immediate danger. Plentiful warnings on TV, radio, newspapers etc, although some people. (a sample of my acquaintances) seem to deliberately ignore , evade news and current affairs.

valdali Fri 14-Aug-26 22:59:00

ixion

Absolutely no reason why it couldn't have been announced on the various news platforms in advance of the alert.

Why the element of surprise?

Perhaps they think the surprise helps to drum it in that this isn't just like "hosepipe ban" or something, it is really dangerous to have a fire or disposable BBQ at this point because we're crisis dry.

Anything that might get through to those that think "oh, my BBQ won't hurt" "it's only a little firework" or whatever, is sensible although it is scarey for we who are generally anxious.

Galaxy Fri 14-Aug-26 22:56:12

Thanks boggled mind. I was sure I had blocked them when the idea was first announced, but I have just had to do it again. It is possible i meant to do it and didnt.

Janiepops Fri 14-Aug-26 22:52:01

I got it whilst in the cinema,but so did everyone else!
My husband ( only two miles away) didn’t get one at all 🤷‍♀️

Redrobin51 Fri 14-Aug-26 22:50:03

We've had fires in my town. 20 houses burnt down and another 20 damaged. Fortunately, no one badly injured. Some firemen and a few people had to go to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. We could smell the smoke the other side of town.
The alert certainly gets your notice.

BoggledMind Fri 14-Aug-26 22:47:36

Galaxy

I have asked this elsewhere but was there a warning that was going to happen? For women with secret phones ( domestic abuse) it can be quite dangerous.

There were warnings preceding the tests when the system was originally set up (there have been two tests), but they can't send a warning about an actual alert. The alerts come as and when are required, sometimes at very short notice.

As for those with suffering from domestic abuse who have secret phones, the alerts can be turned off so that they are not received by the phone. Obviously the people concerned wouldn't receive any alerts, but I would imagine an alert would be of less importance than their personal safety. It's just unacceptable that people are treated so badly that they have to make that choice.

JenniRen Fri 14-Aug-26 22:37:51

Last time I didn't receive the alert either, however my phone has just been updated so why the alarm didn't go off today is puzzling.

tabbie Fri 14-Aug-26 22:34:57

To be honest, with all the reels and pictures on the news after the past few months I'm surprised anyone needed to be told.

But at least it shows the alert works for any major catastrophe.

Bukkie Fri 14-Aug-26 22:30:44

I initially thought it was a klaxon on the athletics I was watching.

harrigran Fri 14-Aug-26 22:14:18

I got a dreadful shock, didn't have a clue as to what it was. It was coming from my sofa where my phone was so I picked it up.
The last time we had an alert like this, the entire family were in a restaurant and every phone in the premises sounded off.

Galaxy Fri 14-Aug-26 22:10:03

I have asked this elsewhere but was there a warning that was going to happen? For women with secret phones ( domestic abuse) it can be quite dangerous.

Harris27 Fri 14-Aug-26 21:51:33

Nearly jumped out of my skin my phone did it twice.