Major incident declared in Wales as firefighters tackle wildfires across UK
RITA RAWEILYA large-scale wildfire in north Wales as been declared a major incident by emergency services, as firefighters tackle fires across England and Wales during the record-breaking heatwave.
Residents near Conwy Mountain and the Sychnant Pass have been evacuated, while members of the public were warned to avoid the area.
In Greater Manchester, fire crews are working to contain a moorland fire near a reservoir, while in Camberley, Hampshire, crews are extinguishing a large heathland fire.
Wildfires burned in County Durham, Derbyshire, East Sussex, West Sussex, Devon and Somerset over the weekend, during a warning that parts of the country were facing an "exceptional" risk for fires.
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said in an update on Sunday afternoon that it was working in "challenging conditions" in order to contain the Conwy Mountain fire, with operations "expected to continue for some time".
Residents in the village of Capelulo, near the mountain, were advised by the town council to "leave safely and follow the instructions of the emergency services on scene".
Those in nearby communities have been advised to keep windows and doors closed and seek medical advice if they experience breathing difficulties.
The service later said it was also responding to a number of grass fire incidents, including in Braichmelyn Forest in Bethesda.
Natural England said southern England and pockets of the south Midlands were at the highest wildfire risk over the next few days, while many other areas in England and Wales were at "very high" risk.
Parts of the UK are set to enter a second week of temperatures above the heatwave threshold, with amber and yellow heat health alerts issued for between Sunday night and Wednesday night.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said on X on Sunday afternoon that firefighters were at a moorland fire near Dovestone Reservoir.
"Due to high winds, smoke from the fire may travel significant distances," it said, warning residents in surrounding areas to keep windows and doors closed and others to avoid the area.
Crews are expected to remain at the scene of a large heathland fire in Blackwater, Camberley on Sunday evening, as they continue to monitor for remaining hotspots after working overnight to bring the fire under control.
The wildfire broke out on Saturday afternoon and spread across about 10 hectares (25 acres) of heathland near the Surrey border.
Over in County Durham, a wildfire as large as 14 football pitches hit fields near Durham University.
County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said it had received calls at about 14:15 BST, and the fire was put out in about an hour.
West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service said several vehicles had been sent to a fire in a field in Nutbourne, Chichester on Sunday afternoon.
It follows firefighters battling several wildfires across the country on Friday and Saturday, including in Derbyshire.
On Saturday morning, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said crews had returned to wildfires near Arnfield Farm and at Tintwistle Moor - with a helicopter also carrying out water drops on hotspots.
The blaze first started on 24 June - during the last heatwave - and has affected about 260 hectares (642 acres) of moorland and woodland.
Firefighters covering Devon and Somerset also battled at least four grassland fires on Saturday.
Crews from East Sussex and West Sussex also tackled two fires in the South Downs National Park - one at Devil's Dyke and one near Eastbourne - overnight on Friday.
Many parts of England and Wales are facing an increased wildfire risk after three record-breaking heatwaves and a prolonged lack of rainfall.
Over the next few days, the continued hot and dry weather, coupled with strengthening winds and lower humidity, is expected to accelerate the drying of vegetation, increasing the risk for fires.
Stronger winds would also allow any fires that do break out to spread more rapidly and become harder to contain.
The risk is expected to ease slightly towards the middle of next week as winds become lighter and the chance of showers increases.
Before then, amber and yellow heat health alerts from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are in place from 09:00 BST on Sunday to 21:00 on Wednesday.
That means significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures, including a rise in deaths, particularly among those with health conditions or aged 65 and older.
Climate change is driving up temperatures around the world, causing increased summer heatwaves and more intense wildfires.
