One campsite owner in Trawsfynydd says she went to bed “seeing the mountain literally ablaze” as the Welsh government activated crisis management arrangements over wildfires burning across the nation.
The lack of aerial support has sparked fury from residents, with a 4,000-name petition calling for helicopters to fight fires that have been burning for days in north and south Wales. The Welsh government confirmed that North Wales Fire and Rescue had received extra resources, but “aerial support was not available anywhere in the UK”. Urgent discussions are now underway within Wales and at UK level to resolve the issue.
“Welsh government activates crisis plans as wildfires rage without helicopters, prompting 4,000-signature petition”
Sian Williams, operations manager for Natural Resources Wales (NRW), described the wildfire situation as “exceptional”. She said NRW had contracts with three operators for helicopter support, but they were already deployed at fires in England and Scotland. “Unfortunately, despite us putting a request in, at the request of the fire and rescue service … for aerial support, we have not been able to secure that yet,” she told the BBC.
Firefighters are tackling a big blaze in south Wales for a third day, with smoke travelling as far as Cardiff. In Gwynedd, householders near the Rhinogydd mountains have been advised to keep windows and doors closed as a multi-agency response continues. Elsewhere, crews are dealing with grass fires at Capelulo near Sychnant Pass, on Conwy Mountain, and at Hope Mountain and Brymbo in Wrexham county, as well as Pentrefelin, Holyhead, and Pentre Halkyn overlooking the A55 in Flintshire.
Ecologist Angharad Owen, who started the petition calling for aerial support to tackle blazes in remote places like Rhinogydd, said helicopters were “proven to be highly effective in managing and extinguishing wildfires swiftly”. “These resources can access remote and rugged terrains, dropping water and fire retardant directly on the fire’s critical areas, something that ground forces might struggle with in vast and challenging landscapes like Rhinogydd,” she said. “It is devastating to see our natural environment being harmed by this wildfire. Not only is this impacting our vital ecosystems and the wildlife that calls it home, but it is also posing serious risks to human health and safety.”
The crisis has been prompted in part by a fire spreading into Coed y Brenin in Gwynedd, which triggered the petition. As night fell, the campsite owner’s words echoed the fear of many: the mountain, still ablaze, and no helicopters in sight.