Wales battles numerous grass fires; firefighters on alert

Firefighters are continuing their fight against numerous wildfires across Wales. Between Thursday and Friday, the Mid & West Wales Fire and Rescue reported responding to a total of 86 grass fires. Crews from south Wales were dispatched to a significant fire at Pengarnddu, Dowlais in Merthyr Tydfil, which began around 15:45 GMT Thursday and covered a front of about four to five kilometers. In addition, firefighters in south and mid Wales are addressing other fires in areas such as Glyncorrwg and Crickhowell. Fires that were left to burn overnight are being re-inspected. As of 07:00 GMT, three notable fires in north Wales are still being managed, including one near Corwen and another near Caernarfon. A substantial fire in Trefriw, Conwy, is also under control by more than 20 firefighters, and a "significant fire" above Treorchy is currently unapproachable due to dark conditions. Community members have expressed concern about the impact of these fires. Eddy Blanche, a local councillor, noted the harm to wildlife and the safety risks to both residents and firefighters. A local farmer, Olivia Hirst, reported a large fire near her farm that erupted on Thursday. She fears the fire could threaten her livestock, which are due to lamb shortly. To aid in firefighting efforts, Natural Resources Wales has deployed a helicopter to tackle a fire in Denbighshire. This helicopter can carry 1,200 liters of water, marking its first use this year for such fires. Nick Thomas from NRW mentioned they will remain on-site to help assess the damage once it is safe. The wildfires are a result of recent dry and sunny weather, but shifts in the weather are expected this weekend. Meanwhile, residents in Gwynedd have been advised to keep windows and doors closed due to smoke from ongoing fires. The North Wales Fire and Rescue Service has urged landowners conducting controlled burns to always inform fire officers ahead of time.