A wildfire is sweeping across a mountainside near Llanbedr, Gwynedd, prompting North Wales Fire and Rescue Service to urge local residents to keep windows and doors closed and to stay away from the area. The blaze, which began on Sunday, July 12, near Llyn Du on the northern flanks of Rhinog Fawr, has since spread up the mountain, tearing through nature conservation areas and ancient woodland.
Fire Service Response and Public Warning
A fire service spokesperson said: "We are currently in attendance at a fire near Llanbedr, Gwynedd. We are asking people to keep away from the area and for local residents to keep windows and doors closed." The latest incident is close to the site of a previous wildfire, and the service is investigating whether it is a flare-up from Sunday's blaze.
Fire officers are on site, and crews will periodically re-inspect the area. A video circulating online shows the fire burning on Carreg y Saeth above Cwm Bychan, one of the most inaccessible peaks in the Rhinogydd.
Threat to Properties and Landscape
The advancing fire front now threatens farms, farmhouses, and homes in the villages of Llanbedr and Llanfair. Smoke is affecting residents in these areas. A local woman reported: "It’s now spreading towards Cwm Bychan Lake and the Roman Steps. Farms, farmhouses and homes are now at risk and smoke is affecting residents in the villages of Llanbedr and Llanfair."
Calls for Helicopter Support
Local people are demanding emergency funding for helicopter support to dump water on the blaze. Dinas Caravan Park & Camping, located some three miles from the fire, praised the local farming community for using their own vehicles to transport firefighters and heavy equipment up the more accessible Cwm Nantcol side. In a statement, the caravan park said: "With no rain forecast for the next week, this mountain fire is likely to keep burning for a while. It is incredibly sad to think about the local wildlife being affected by the fire and smoke. While our ground crews and local farmers are doing a heroic job, no firefighter can reach the summit of Carreg y Saeth and surrounding area carrying the massive volume of water needed to put this fire out."
The statement added: "Our fire services do not have a dedicated, standing fleet of water-bombing helicopters and rely on chartering commercial aircraft or from other agencies — which involves red tape and emergency costs. Because of this, we are tagging our local representatives Liz Saville Roberts (Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP) and Mabon ap Gwynfor MS to ask for urgent intervention. We need our representatives to cut through the bureaucracy and coordinate the emergency funding and authorization required to get helicopter support here. With Cwm Bychan lake, Llyn Du, Gloywlyn, and the sea right on our doorstep, the water is ready and waiting. We just need the political will to deploy the right tools to protect our unique landscape, environment, and wildlife!"
Ongoing Situation
North Wales Live is providing live updates on the incident. The fire service has confirmed it is in attendance at the blaze, and further updates are expected as the situation develops.
