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| Wildfires putting 'tremendous pressure' on firefighters | Wildfires putting 'tremendous pressure' on firefighters |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| People have been urged to ensure they extinguish barbecues and cigarettes to prevent wildfires after a spate left fire crews "under pressure". | People have been urged to ensure they extinguish barbecues and cigarettes to prevent wildfires after a spate left fire crews "under pressure". |
| North Wales Fire and Rescue Service has had to deal with a number of fires in the last 24 hours, one of which involved homes being evacuated. | North Wales Fire and Rescue Service has had to deal with a number of fires in the last 24 hours, one of which involved homes being evacuated. |
| The hot weather may have been the only contributory factor in some cases but discarded hot objects can be another. | The hot weather may have been the only contributory factor in some cases but discarded hot objects can be another. |
| Fires have started across all parts of Wales over the last week. | Fires have started across all parts of Wales over the last week. |
| Kevin Roberts, senior fire safety manager at North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: "These fires place tremendous pressure on our resources. | |
| "It's too early to determine the exact cause of these fires but we are urging everybody to take extra care when they are out and about in the countryside to help reduce the risk of fire - especially during this exceptionally hot and dry weather. | |
| "In these dry conditions, fires involving grass, bracken and heather can develop extremely quickly, especially in raised winds, and fires can soon get out of control and spread to neighbouring properties or forestry, with the need for us then to attend to extinguish them. | "In these dry conditions, fires involving grass, bracken and heather can develop extremely quickly, especially in raised winds, and fires can soon get out of control and spread to neighbouring properties or forestry, with the need for us then to attend to extinguish them. |
| "So if you are out, it is more important than ever in these conditions to make sure that any smoking materials are discarded and extinguished properly. | "So if you are out, it is more important than ever in these conditions to make sure that any smoking materials are discarded and extinguished properly. |
| "If you are out camping, again make sure that campfires or barbeques are fully extinguished. Better still, avoid open fires altogether in this dry period." | "If you are out camping, again make sure that campfires or barbeques are fully extinguished. Better still, avoid open fires altogether in this dry period." |
| In Gwynedd, 15 homes were evacuated on Monday evening as crews fought a mile-long mountain fire at Mynydd Cilgwyn in Carmel, near Caernarfon. | In Gwynedd, 15 homes were evacuated on Monday evening as crews fought a mile-long mountain fire at Mynydd Cilgwyn in Carmel, near Caernarfon. |
| Overnight, residents in Braichmelyn, near Bethesda, were on standby to leave their homes when a fire broke out in a nearby pine forest at about 03:10 BST. | Overnight, residents in Braichmelyn, near Bethesda, were on standby to leave their homes when a fire broke out in a nearby pine forest at about 03:10 BST. |
| Both blazes are under control, along with another fire at Bangor mountain, and the areas are continuing to be monitored. | Both blazes are under control, along with another fire at Bangor mountain, and the areas are continuing to be monitored. |
| The spate has led Natural Resources Wales (NRW) in the area to express concern. | The spate has led Natural Resources Wales (NRW) in the area to express concern. |
| Robert Williams, the local area manager, said trenches would be dug around Braichmelyn and filled with water to stop any further fire spreading. | Robert Williams, the local area manager, said trenches would be dug around Braichmelyn and filled with water to stop any further fire spreading. |
| He added: "We've never had fires like this for a number of years. This is quite unprecedented for ourselves. | He added: "We've never had fires like this for a number of years. This is quite unprecedented for ourselves. |
| "We welcome people into the forest but we ask them not to have any open fires, not to have any barbecues and not to smoke until the weather has changed." | "We welcome people into the forest but we ask them not to have any open fires, not to have any barbecues and not to smoke until the weather has changed." |
| Over the last few days, a number of fires have broken out across other parts of Wales. | Over the last few days, a number of fires have broken out across other parts of Wales. |
| A large fire at Maerdy mountain in Rhondda Cynon Taff on Friday reignited on Tuesday morning for a second time, as has Pembrey Mountain in Carmarthenshire. | A large fire at Maerdy mountain in Rhondda Cynon Taff on Friday reignited on Tuesday morning for a second time, as has Pembrey Mountain in Carmarthenshire. |
| On Monday, crews also tackled blazes at Kilvey Hill in Swansea, and Penrhys, Rhondda Cynon Taff, while there was also a large forest fire near the Bryn Pica landfill site in Aberdare. | On Monday, crews also tackled blazes at Kilvey Hill in Swansea, and Penrhys, Rhondda Cynon Taff, while there was also a large forest fire near the Bryn Pica landfill site in Aberdare. |
| Across the weekend, a helicopter was brought in to drop water on the Cwm Rheidol mountainside and a fire was tackled at Garth Hill in Maesteg, Bridgend county. | Across the weekend, a helicopter was brought in to drop water on the Cwm Rheidol mountainside and a fire was tackled at Garth Hill in Maesteg, Bridgend county. |
| Andy Fry, chief fire advisor for Wales, told Radio Wales' Good Morning Wales programme: "We've seen about twice as many of these fires in June than we would see in an average June. | Andy Fry, chief fire advisor for Wales, told Radio Wales' Good Morning Wales programme: "We've seen about twice as many of these fires in June than we would see in an average June. |
| "Wildfires are fairly common in Wales. Historically there have been a number of years where we've seen very significant numbers of wildfires, particularly in 2015." | "Wildfires are fairly common in Wales. Historically there have been a number of years where we've seen very significant numbers of wildfires, particularly in 2015." |
| He added: "Things are not going to get any wetter in Wales for the foreseeable future. The drier things get, the more risk there is that a fire will start." | He added: "Things are not going to get any wetter in Wales for the foreseeable future. The drier things get, the more risk there is that a fire will start." |