Wildfire breaks out hours before training course on tackling blazes

Nation.Cymru staff

A training course designed to teach communities how to create natural firebreaks using Welsh mountain ponies was cancelled just hours before it was due to begin – after a wildfire broke out close to the venue.

Firefighters were called to Gelli Fechan farm in Rhandirmwyn, in the Tywi Valley, Carmarthenshire, at around 12.30pm on Wednesday after the landowner heard loud crackling as bracken and trees caught fire on the hillside.

The two-day Pony Power course, organised by non-profit ATLA Community CIC, had been due to begin at the farm at 4pm.

Members of the community had gathered to learn techniques aimed at reducing the risk and spread of wildfires when the blaze broke out.

A group from homelessness charity Alabaré had also been due to take part in the training but instead joined efforts to keep the fire at bay.

Neighbours, farmers and other members of the community responded with fire extinguishers, buckets and tanks of water as the fire spread rapidly up the hillside.

According to ATLA, it was one of four wildfires to break out in the valley during the day.

The incident comes amid prolonged hot and dry weather which has increased the risk of wildfires across Wales, with firefighters tackling a series of major incidents in recent days.

Firebreaks

The Pony Power project is funded through the National Lottery Community Fund Wales’ Awards for All programme and teaches people how to use Welsh mountain ponies to help create firebreaks in the countryside.

The technique involves flattening and cutting vegetation to reduce the amount of material available to fuel a wildfire and create a natural break in its path – the very work participants had been due to learn when the blaze broke out.

The training also covers working with ponies, pony first aid and the use of traditional equipment.

Dr Donna Oldbury-Thomas, who was hosting the course at Gelli Fechan, said: “We were hours away from teaching people exactly how to stop what happened right in front of us.

“It’s the clearest possible demonstration of why this work matters, and why we can’t afford to wait to scale it up.”

Dr Oldbury-Thomas is also involved in research examining the risks posed by wildfires in Welsh landscapes, including work through Coventry University studying toxins released when vegetation such as bracken, Molinia and heather burns and continues to smoulder.

The research also examines how managing vegetation and creating firebreaks could help reduce the risk and spread of wildfires.

‘Stark reminder’

ATLA Community CIC director Ellie House said the outbreak demonstrated the threat facing communities in the valley.

She said: “Yesterday was a stark reminder of what’s at stake in this valley.

“Pony Power started as a small community pilot, and it’s rapidly becoming something with real potential to change how Wales responds to wildfire proactively.

“We’ve been incredibly moved by the rapid help of neighbours, friends and especially farmers who showed up with bowsers to tackle the spread but we know we need to do more and we’re now looking for the right partners to help us take this project further.”

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