Habitats in Wales destroyed by wildfires this summer could take hundreds of years to recover, an environment watchdog has warned. Nick Thomas from Natural Resources Wales (NRW) stated that if peat-rich soil in upland areas is incinerated, it could take centuries for vegetation to return, as peat grows at approximately one millimetre a year.
Thomas described 2026 as potentially the worst year Wales has experienced for wildfires. He also cautioned that the loss of soil could increase flood risks, as it would no longer act as a "sponge" holding water on high ground.
Fires this summer include a major incident in Conwy county and a blaze in the Rhinogydd mountain range in Gwynedd, which burned for nearly two weeks and affected over 2,000 acres. Julian Thompson, warden of Pensychnant Conservation Centre, reported that about a third of the centre's 150 acres were lost in a July wildfire, with the soil turning to dust.
Rare moths, such as the Ashworth's Rustic and Weaver's Wave, and snakes like adders, are believed to have been destroyed in affected areas, according to Thompson. He noted that while nature is resilient, it may not cope with repeated catastrophes of this scale.