Mid and West Wales fire and rescue service has been trying to extinguish fires in Elan valley since Sunday
Firefighters are struggling to control wildfires raging though the scenic Elan valley in mid-Wales for a fifth day.
The Mid and West Wales fire and rescue service has been working to extinguish fires in and around the Powys beauty spot since Sunday. It is not yet clear how much damage the biodiverse area has suffered: 80% of the valley is designated as sites of special scientific interest, raising fears for flora and fauna.
A helicopter has been deployed to tackle fires still burning fiercely near Claerwen dam and Teifi Pools, the fire and rescue service said, urging the public to stay away from the area. Hafod Estate, a National Trust estate near Pontarfynach (Devil’s Bridge) has been closed until further notice.
Sorcha Lewis, a farmer focused on nature-friendly farming, published pictures to social media of the damage the fires had caused to the ffridd – the “mosaic ecosystem” of sloping areas lying between lowland pasture and open mountain grazing.
