Council unaware area was among world’s worst for wildfire carbon emissions

Twm Owen – Local democracy reporter

A council was unaware its area had been identified as having some of the highest wildfire carbon emissions in the world.

Charity Save the Children said its analysis of published data showed Torfaen had the fourth highest intensity of carbon emissions per square kilometre in the world during July due to wildfires.

Torfaen Borough Council said it recognises prolonged wildfires “have the potential to adversely affect local air quality” and acknowledged “elevated particulate concentrations” have been observed during the wildfire period from its regular air quality monitoring.

A fire above Blaenavon, that started on July 19 burned for more than a month and was described by the fire brigade as “one of the largest and most challenging in South Wales in recent years”. Combined with others across the region it contributed to a major incident being declared which eventually required assistance from the military.

Save the Children, which campaigns on and supports children’s health and addressing poverty, said it had examined data from the European Union’s earth observation programme Copernicus which tracks wildfires across the world and the impact of their burning.

The charity’s analysis of the data showed the intensity of the carbon emissions in Torfaen put it fourth in the world, after Annaba in Algeria which was first for intensity of carbon emissions from wildfires with Ávila, which saw Spain’s largest ever wildfires, in second and Malanje in Angola in third position.

Save the Children said during July and August 15 million children worldwide lived in areas deemed to have “extremely unusual” levels of carbon emissions compared with the average for the same period between 2003 and 2025, with some 20,000 under 19-year-olds living in Torfaen.

Melanie Simmonds, head of Save the Children Wales said: “In Wales and across the world, children are breathing in smoke from wildfires, coping with extreme heat and losing the freedom to play outdoors because the air is no longer safe. These conditions are not only frightening – they carry serious health consequences for children whose bodies and lungs are still developing.”

A Torfaen council spokeswoman said: “The council was not aware of Save the Children’s research. Furthermore, it is not clear what data or evidence was used in the assessment to arrive at the reported conclusion.

“The council recognises that prolonged wildfire incidents have the potential to adversely affect local air quality, particularly through increased levels of smoke and particulate matter.”

The council continuously monitors air quality in Torfaen through a monitoring station in Croesyceiliog Cwmbran, with periodic data published on a council website.

“The Cwmbran site is officially designated an ‘Urban Background’ monitoring station and is not designed to be moved in response to localised incidents such wildfires,” said the spokeswoman: “However, data from this site provides an indication as to the general levels of air pollution in the wider environment.”

They added air pollution levels can be influenced by weather conditions and wind direction and air quality monitoring data will continue to be reviewed as part of the council’s ongoing Local Air Quality Management duties.

“While elevated particulate concentrations have been observed during the wildfire period, the council’s monitoring station is intended to provide information on general background air quality rather than conditions at specific locations immediately adjacent to the fires,” said the spokeswoman.

Professor Sarah Jones, consultant in environmental public health for NHS body Public Health Wales, said a number of factors lead to it deciding assessments of the impact of the smoke could be based on the fixed air monitoring stations in place across Wales.

Those factors included the “rapidly changing” fire fronts and wind changes across Wales, the “well understood” composition of the smoke and the heat causing smoke to rise to the atmosphere where it was diluted and reducing the concentration.

“At times, the fixed monitors recorded high and very high levels of air pollution, as defined by the daily air quality index,” said Prof Jones.

When the fires were burning people were advised to stay indoors and close doors and windows.

Blaenavon councillor Janet Jones said changes in the wind direction, and a welcome “drop of rain” have helped improve air quality locally but described smoke on Thursday, August 13, which was three weeks after the fire first ignited, as “particularly bad”.

The independent councillor said though she wasn’t aware of the research by Save the Children she will raise it with the borough council: “It is quite interesting and I will take it up with the relevant officers and it will need some sort of investigation.”

She described Blaenavon as an industrial area with many former miners: “There was great concern about air quality and the impact on elderly people and those suffering with respiratory issues such as emphysema and COPD.

“It hasn’t affected me personally, but I know other people have had issues, especially the people living in close proximity, and have had to put their washing out again or redo it.

“I have spoken to some of the GP nurses and asked if they’ve seen an increase in patients complaining, or showing concerns, of respiratory problems. I spoke to them two weeks ago and they hadn’t noticed any significant increase in that time, but it is something that could change in the months ahead.”

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