Firefighters have returned to Llanwonno, Ferndale after a wildfire that grew to the size of over 500 football pitches was reignited. The fire, which had been declared a major incident, was stood down on Friday, August 7, but has since been deliberately reignited.
Major incident stood down then reignited
The wildfire initially began on Saturday, August 1, and raged for six days before being stood down. It was declared a major incident on Monday, August 3, due to its scale, which spanned an area equivalent to over 500 football pitches.
On Monday, August 10, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service warned that the wildfire had been reignited. A spokesperson said: "Due to deliberate fire setting in the area, the wildfire in Llanwonno and Penrhys, Ferndale has been reignited. Thank you for your calls, we want to reassure you that our crews are in attendance and working hard to bring the incident to a safe close."
Police patrol and appeal for vigilance
South Wales Police are patrolling the area to deter further deliberate fires, along with the fire service's Arson Reduction Team. Residents are being asked to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour related to deliberate fire setting to South Wales Police by calling 101.
If a new active fire is spotted, the public is urged to call 999. The spokesperson added: "We want to thank the community for your support and understanding, only by working together can we stop these deliberate fires from starting."
