Emergency services declared a major incident in north Wales on Sunday after a wildfire tore through gorse and heathland near Sychnant Pass on Conwy Mountain, forcing residents to evacuate as flames spread across the popular hiking spot. The blaze was one of several that erupted across the country during a weekend of extreme heat, with firefighters also battling large fires in Greater Manchester, Somerset and Dorset.
Natural England’s Fire Severity Index placed much of England at “very high” risk of wildfires on Sunday, with some areas in southern England and the Midlands at “exceptional” risk – the highest possible level. The warning came as Derbyshire Fire and Rescue declared its own major incident late on Sunday night after a moorland fire at Tintwistle Moor, in the Peak District National Park, scorched an area the size of 350 football pitches. Firefighting operations there were expected to continue “for some time”, officials said, after crews had already tackled two other moorland blazes in recent days.
“Major incident declared in north Wales as wildfires burn across UK, with much of England at 'exceptional' risk.”
In Lancashire, a large wildfire broke out on Darwen Moor on Sunday afternoon, prompting a plea from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service for the public not to fly drones nearby. “The aerial drone team are also in attendance, please do not fly drones nearby as you will obstruct emergency operations,” the service said in a statement. The smoke from the fire was being driven by wind across the Saddleworth area.
The fires caused significant travel disruption. The Weaver Line overground service between Hackney Downs and Chingford was shut all day Monday after a blaze near Wood Street damaged the track, Transport for London confirmed. The closure added to the chaos of a weekend in which the UK sweltered through another heatwave, following record-breaking temperatures across Europe that have also fuelled deadly wildfires in Spain.
With much of the country on alert for further outbreaks and temperatures expected to remain high, firefighters warned that the risk would persist until conditions eased. The major incident in north Wales remained active as crews continued to douse hotspots on Conwy Mountain, while operations on Tintwistle Moor were expected to stretch into the week.
