An urgent warning has been issued to Liverpool after smoke from wildfires in North Wales and Greater Manchester blanketed the city on Sunday evening. Residents reported a strong smell of smoke as large blazes erupted in Conwy and Gwynedd, North Wales, and at Dovestone Reservoir in Saddleworth, Greater Manchester.
Wildfires Force Evacuations
A major incident was declared in North Wales as firefighters battled blazes in Conwy and Gwynedd, with some residents near Sychnant Pass forced to evacuate their homes. Local reports indicate that a wildfire in Braichmelyn Forest, above Bethesda, Gwynedd, was still burning on Monday morning. In Greater Manchester, crews from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service remain at Dovestone Reservoir after a moor fire broke out at around 8:45 pm on July 11.
Smoke Reaches Liverpool
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that the smoke covering Liverpool originated from the wildfires in North Wales and Greater Manchester. The service reported a high volume of calls from concerned residents and advised closing windows and doors to minimise smoke inhalation.
Political Response
Liverpool Green Party leader Councillor Tom Crone criticised the city council for its lack of preparedness. In a statement, he said: 'This is what climate change looks like and we believe our city, and our country, are woefully unprepared.' He noted that the council's 2030 Net Zero Liverpool Action Plan recognised wildfire risks but failed to address health implications for vulnerable residents or provide clear advice on whether to keep windows open during the heatwave or closed due to smoke.
Crone added: 'As a council, we declared a climate emergency in 2019, yet Labour leaders have recently scaled back plans for the largest-ever piece of cycling infrastructure in our city. We are immensely grateful to those who work in the fire service and head into danger to protect other people. But this is only going to get worse unless we rapidly decarbonise our city and put huge investment in green jobs of the future for our young people.'
Council Defends Climate Action
Liverpool City Council highlighted several initiatives demonstrating its commitment to tackling climate change. These include the Liverpool Heat Network, with a public consultation launched on a proposed boundary covering parts of the city centre and Knowledge Quarter, identified as areas where low-carbon heat networks could cut emissions. The council is also working towards establishing Liverpool as the world's first UN Accelerator City for Climate Action and has led a commitment by creative industry bodies to support the transition to clean temporary power by 2030.
The local authority has implemented a new policy to significantly cut emissions from its vehicle fleet, switching to electric vehicles where possible and exploring Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) as a fuel source for vehicles not due for renewal. Additionally, the Liverpool Urban Mobility and Public Spaces Plan guides a multi-million pound investment programme up to 2045 to increase public transport use and promote walking and cycling.
