Drone footage reveals fire size of 200 football pitches burning in Wales

Firefighters in Wales are tackling a “significant” wildfire in the Rhondda which has drawn a cross-agency response. Emergency services were called to the Llanwonno area of Rhondda Cynon Taf at around 4.30pm on Saturday. The South Wales Fire and Rescue Service [SWFRS] said its fire crews had been tackling the fire ever since, and urged the public to stay away. Shorts Twenty fire trucks are currently on scene, and the teams are being supported by specialist wildfire teams and partner agencies. The SWFRS said there was currently no immediate threat to residents; however, locals may experience smoke over the coming days and should keep their windows and doors closed if so. “Our firefighters continue to work tirelessly to tackle a significant wildfire in the Rhondda,” the service said in a statement. https://www.facebook.com/reel/1717797292769362 “Since Saturday, crews have been working around the clock in challenging conditions on steep terrain to contain the fire and protect nearby communities. We currently have 20 fire engines at the scene, supported by specialist wildfire teams and partner agencies.” Drone footage released by the SWFRS showed smoke and flames close to homes in the small hillside village of Blaenllechau. Firefighters tackled close to 400 wildfires in England and Wales in July alone, making it the busiest month on record. The SWFRS has warned residents to stay away from the fires (Photo: Ben Birchall/PA Wire) The South Wales countryside has been particularly prone to wildfires due to the usually wet land drying out so significantly. Dried heather has acted as kindling to the peat underneath the surface, which is a major store of carbon, meaning that any spark of fire has a colossal impact. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has established a rest centre at a local sports centre for residents who want to leave their homes due to poor air quality. There have not yet been evacuations due to the fire. Firefighters at Ferndale in the Rhondda Valley tackle a fire burning in the hills above the town (Photo: Ben Birchall/PA Wire) Community support During the Blaenavon wildfires last month, which saw firefighters coming together from across South Wales to tackle out-of-control fires, the local community brought the crews three meals a day for five days. Locals close to the latest fires have been bringing refreshments to the crews. “While we greatly appreciate the kindness shown to our crews, there is no need to bring refreshments or donations to the scene,” the SWFRS said. “We would prefer it if you avoided the scene and stayed safe.” No residents have been evacuated, but Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has established a rest centre at a local sports centre for residents who want to leave their homes due to poor air quality (Photo: Ben Birchall/PA Wire) Earlier today, the Met Office released provisional statistics showing that England and Wales have had their driest July in records dating back to 1836. England as a whole had just a 10th of the average rainfall for the month, while Wales saw just 9 per cent of the average, with both countries seeing less than half of the rainfall in the previous record dry July in 1911. Southern England also had its hottest July on record, while it was the joint hottest July on record for Wales, and the UK and England had their second hottest July, the provisional figures show. And in an exceptionally sunny month, the UK, England and Wales have all recorded their sunniest Julys on record – and for England and Wales it was the sunniest calendar month ever observed, the Met Office said.