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Major Incident Declared for North Wales Wildfire; Heatwave and Other Fires Reported Elsewhere
A wildfire near Sychnant Pass on Conwy Mountain prompted a major incident declaration on Sunday and the evacuation of dozens of residents. Heatwave conditions are forecast to persist across much of England and Wales, with wildfire risk rising to exceptional levels in several regions.
Jul 12, 10:51 AM·2m read3 sources
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A major incident was declared on Sunday after a wildfire broke out near Sychnant Pass on Conwy Mountain in North Wales. Dozens of people were evacuated from their homes. Jami Jennings, service delivery manager of North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said firefighters remain on scene working in challenging conditions to contain the fire and protect surrounding communities, property, infrastructure and the environment.
Operations are expected to continue for some time due to the size and complexity of the incident, Jennings added. She asked members of the public to avoid the affected area to allow emergency services to work safely and efficiently. Natural England’s fire severity index shows large parts of the UK will reach exceptional risk of wildfires by the middle of the week, while most of the rest of England and Wales faces very high risk over the coming days.
Areas in the South East, London and the Midlands are at the highest risk, the index indicates. The Met Office said current heatwave conditions will last into the coming week, with most areas expected to stay dry, sunny and very hot. Dave Swallow, NFCC wildfire deputy lead, stated that such conditions increase wildfire risk, noting that most wildfires start because something provides the spark.
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service responded to two moorland wildfires in recent days. London Fire Brigade dealt with a blaze involving shrubbery at Stratford Station on Friday evening that caused rail line closures. East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service responded to a large fire in the open on the South Downs near Eastbourne on Saturday, and teams tackled a blaze at Devil’s Dyke in South Downs National Park in West Sussex.
The Met Office reported that 2026 is the first year to record 35C on six separate days and the first to record 35C or higher in three calendar months. Nine temperatures of 34C or higher have been recorded so far this summer. An 18-year-old man’s body was recovered from the water near the weir at Darley Abbey Mills complex in Derbyshire.
