A large wildfire on a hillside above the Ebbw valley village of Blaenavon, South Wales, may finally be coming under control after burning for more than three weeks. Emergency workers and soldiers have been engaged in a challenging battle against the deep-seated peat fire.
The fire has spread across more than 4,000 hectares (9,800 acres), posing risks to lives, farmland, and property. The military was deployed to the area two days ago, following a request for support from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service due to at least 13 other fires blazing across the valleys this weekend.
Jamie Windsor, a group commander at Ebbw Vale station, stated that underground peat layers have made the Blaenavon fire particularly difficult to extinguish, as it burns deeply and does not cool down at night. Fin Monahan, Chief Fire Officer of South Wales Fire and Rescue, reported on Sunday afternoon that the Blaenavon fire was showing signs of slowing.
Extreme heat and a lack of rain have contributed to this summer being the busiest on record for wildfires in the UK. The Met Office has indicated that the UK is on course for its hottest summer on record by average temperature, and nearly three-quarters of England have been declared officially in drought.