Downing Street urges people not to turn off emergency alerts on their phones - as even fire boss questions Friday's use of system and reveals it almost made him crash his car
- Posted on August 17, 2026
- By Daily Mail
- 1 Views
- 1 min read
The UK government has issued guidance advising citizens to maintain emergency alert notifications on their mobile devices, particularly following a mass alert system activation on Friday evening. The alert warned residents about wildfire risks and urged caution with fire-starting activities including barbecues and fireworks. However, safety officials have raised concerns about the timing and implementation of the emergency broadcast, with some fire service leaders questioning its real-world effectiveness and reporting potential hazards caused by driver distraction during the alert distribution.
Summary auto-generated by AI from the original publisher's content. Editorial standards.