Welsh Government confirms military support as wildfires continue across Wales

Nation.Cymru staff

The Welsh Government has secured military support as fire and rescue services face unprecedented pressure from wildfires across the country.

Fire crews across Wales are continuing to tackle a number of major wildfires, with the prolonged hot and dry weather creating difficult conditions and increasing the risk of further outbreaks.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident earlier this week as crews came under significant pressure from multiple fires across the region.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service has also declared a major incident, while homes have been evacuated in parts of south Wales and a number of communities have been affected by smoke and flames.

A devastating fire in Newbridge damaged several homes and forced residents to evacuate, while a major incident was also declared in Llandovery.

The scale of the fires has led to calls for additional support, with the Welsh Government confirming that Army resources will now be deployed to assist firefighters.

Elin Jones MS, Cabinet Minister for Finance, said: “We remain incredibly grateful to firefighters and other responders for working tirelessly in very challenging conditions to extinguish the fires and protect life and property.

“Many communities across the country have been significantly affected, and support is being offered to the residents in Newbridge who have suffered the devastating loss of their homes.

“At present, both South Wales and Mid and West Wales Fire Services have declared major incidents given the pressures on them from fires in multiple locations.

“The incidents are being managed through an established multi-agency emergency structure covering all organisations involved in the response including the Welsh Government.”

Military assets

Regarding the Welsh Government’s request for military support, she added: “The First Minister attended the COBR meeting earlier this week to update on the serious situation in Wales.

“He emphasised the need for co-ordinated action to tackle the situation across the UK, including potential deployment of military assets to support firefighters.

“The Welsh Government has been supporting South Wales Fire and Rescue Service in a formal MACA (Military Aid to the Civil Authorities) request to deploy Army resources to assist them with the current operations.

“This has now been agreed, and we are extremely grateful to the Army for providing this additional support. The Welsh Government stands ready to provide funding for these military support operations should this be required.

“The risks of further wildfires remains very high given the prolonged dry and hot weather. It is extremely important the public continue to play their part in minimising the risks of further outbreaks of fire by behaving responsibly. This means avoiding any activity that could cause fire.

“The Welsh Government, alongside our partners, continues to emphasise consistent public messaging around prevention of accidental and deliberate fires, public safety, the need for rapid reporting of fires where there is an immediate risk to life or property, and protecting vulnerable people from smoke impacts.

“It is vital that the advice of the emergency services is followed at all times, so that they can focus all their resources on the immediate work of dealing with these unprecedented set of circumstances and keeping people and property safe.”

Labour response 

However, Welsh Labour has accused the Welsh Government of being too slow to act in response to the wildfires plaguing communities across Wales.

Today, Welsh Labour leader Ken Skates MS has once again written to the First Minister, asking for the Senedd to be recalled.

Jayne Bryant MS, Welsh Labour’s spokesperson for Communities, said: “Leadership is lacking whilst Wales burns. Why isn’t the First Minister chairing a daily emergency review? Where is the financial support for families, businesses, and councils? Why haven’t we had daily updates from government ministers?

“The FBU has described the situation as ‘carnage’. Fire and rescue services have been pushed to the brink. People have been evacuated, homes and farmland destroyed, and swathes of the country are covered in smoke. Plaid Cymru’s Welsh Government must urgently grasp the severity of this national crisis.”

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