0h 7min, aug 17, 2026 y - Govt. Defends phone Alert

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The government has defended its decision to send an emergency phone alert warning of wildfires across England and Wales last week as "entirely appropriate".

Millions of mobile phones bleeped with a "severe alert" notification on Friday, stating there was a "very high risk of wildfires nationally".

The lack of advance warning for the alert was criticised by charities and domestic abuse survivors, who said there was little chance to protect those hiding secret phones.

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