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Firefighters continue their efforts into a fourth day to control wildfires that have been spreading through a scenic area in mid-Wales. Since Sunday, the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service has been actively responding to fires around the Elan Valley region in Powys. To assist with firefighting, a helicopter has been tasked with dropping water on the most vulnerable locations. As a precaution, National Trust Cymru has temporarily closed the Hafod Estate to the public until the situation improves.
The wildfires have been reported near Claerwen Reservoir and Teifi Pools, and officials have urged the public to avoid visiting these areas. Local shepherd Glyndwr Jones, who lives near Claerwen Dam, described the blaze as “quite frightening.” Jones, who has worked as a shepherd for the Elan Valley Trust for 26 years, expressed his concern about the potential financial losses, stating that he won’t be able to assess the full impact until the fire is fully extinguished. Highlighting the scale of the land, he commented, “It’s a big, big area. Big farms up this area. What are we talking, between 10,000 and 12,000 acres – could be more even, but it’s a job to say.” His worries also extend to the livestock, particularly lambs that have been on the hills throughout the winter.
Elan Valley covers approximately 70 square miles (181 square kilometers) and includes a landscape of dams, reservoirs, and rugged terrain. The area features four dams—Craig Goch, Garreg Ddu, Pen y Garreg, and Caban Coch—constructed over 120 years ago to provide clean water, initially to Birmingham and later to mid and south Wales. Amid the fires, residents nearby have been advised by fire services to keep windows and doors closed if smoke becomes thick in their vicinity.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) confirmed the deployment of the helicopter water drops due to the high fire risk combined with an absence of significant rainfall expected in the coming days. Weather forecasts predict dry conditions through Thursday with no rain expected until Friday, along with a moderate breeze. Richard Preece, duty tactical manager Wales at NRW, noted that “the current dry weather has significantly increased the fire risk.” He added, “The helicopter is expected to carry out targeted water drops on the Elan Valley wildfire during the next few hours to extinguish or lessen the impacts of the fire.” Meanwhile, a spokesperson for National Trust Cymru stated: “We are aware of a wildfire burning on land neighbouring the Hafod Estate in Mid Wales and have taken the precautionary measure to close the estate to visitors until further notice. Our ranger teams are in contact with the local fire service and monitoring the situation closely.”
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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