logo
Crews spend hours tackling large grass fire above Welsh village

Crews spend hours tackling large grass fire above Welsh village

Yahoo18-05-2025
Firefighters spent hours tackling a large grass fire which broke out in a forestry in south Wales. Crews were first called to the Pontycymer area north of Bridgend on Saturday afternoon, May 17.
Bridgend Road was shut off by police in both directions, with diversions set up through Oxford Street. Police said on Saturday evening that the road would remain closed into Saturday night.
The fire service has confirmed it was first called to the scene of the grass blaze shortly before 3pm, and as many as eight crews were in attendance for several hours. For the latest Bridgend news, sign up to our newsletter here.
READ MORE: Famous breed of dog is dying out with barely any puppies born
READ MORE: Boy, 15, raped teenage girl as she slept
Crews then returned to the scene early on Sunday morning to reinspect the area and deal with 'small fires' that were still burning in the forestry.
Images taken from the scene show a large area of grass affected by the flames, which spread through a mountain side close to a row of properties.
An aerial image also shows a scorched area where all the grass has been burnt away. Join our WhatsApp news community here for the latest breaking news.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Southern California firefighters, first responders prepare for elevated fire danger amid sweltering heat
Southern California firefighters, first responders prepare for elevated fire danger amid sweltering heat

CBS News

time6 hours ago

  • CBS News

Southern California firefighters, first responders prepare for elevated fire danger amid sweltering heat

Firefighters and first responders are taking proactive steps as sweltering heat descends on Southern California this week, hoping to gain an advantage over the elevated fire danger. "It's always a worry, especially living here in the foothills," said Barry Shimauchi, who lives in Azusa, at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. "September, August, things start to dry out and then you get that late kind of heat wave." The incoming heat, which will bring triple-digit temperatures to much of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties, is potentially the worst of the year, leading National Weather Service officials to issue red flag fire conditions for specific areas. In response, the California Office of Emergency Services has also sent extra resources to the area. "This includes fire engines, firefighters, bulldozers, helicopters," said Cal OES State Fire Rescue Chief Brian Marshall. "It gives them a better opportunity to contain the fire when it's small, so we don't have a big disaster." He says that the department has been deploying and prepositioning resources ahead of fire weather events for five years now. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also announced that extra local resources were being pre-deployed in high-risk areas like Woodland Hills, Northridge and Sunland. "For months, LAFD has been actively conducting brush inspections and brush clearance," Bass said during the news conference. CalOES officials encourage residents to have wildfire action plans ready and to sign up for local emergency alerts.

The Grand Canyon's Dragon Bravo wildfire sheds light on water infrastructure
The Grand Canyon's Dragon Bravo wildfire sheds light on water infrastructure

Fast Company

time19 hours ago

  • Fast Company

The Grand Canyon's Dragon Bravo wildfire sheds light on water infrastructure

As wildfire crews battled the Dragon Bravo Fire on the Grand Canyon's North Rim in July 2025, the air turned toxic. A chlorine gas leak had erupted from the park's water treatment facility as the building burned, forcing firefighters to pull back. The water treatment facility is part of a system that draws water from a fragile spring. It's the only water source and system for the park facilities on both rims, including visitor lodging and park service housing. The fire also damaged some of the area's water pipes and equipment, leaving fire crews to rely on a fleet of large water trucks to haul in water and raising concerns about contamination risks to the water system itself. By mid-August, Dragon Bravo was a 'megafire,' having burned over 140,000 acres, and was one of the largest fires in Arizona history. It had destroyed more than 70 structures, including the iconic Grand Canyon Lodge, and sent smoke across the region. Wildfires like this are increasingly affecting water supplies across the U.S. and creating a compounding crisis that experts in water, utilities and emergency management are only beginning to wrestle with. A pattern across the West Before 2017, when the Tubbs Fire burned through neighborhoods on the edge of Santa Rosa, California, most research on the nexus of wildfire and water had focused on issues such as drought and how climate change effects ecosystems. The Tubbs Fire destroyed thousands of buildings and also melted plastic water pipes. After the fire, a resident's complaint about the taste and odor of tap water led to the discovery that the fire's damage had introduced contaminants including benzene, a carcinogen, into parts of the public water system. It quickly became obvious that the damage discovered at the Tubbs Fire was not unique. Similar damage and pollutants were discovered in another California water system after the 2018 Camp Fire destroyed much of Paradise, a town of over 25,000 people. The list of incidents goes on. In southern Oregon, the 2020 Almeda Fire damaged water pipes in buildings, leaving water to flow freely. That contributed to low system pressure just when people fighting the fire needed the water. In Colorado, the 2021 Marshall Fire burned through urban water lines, damaging six public drinking-water systems along with more than 1,000 structures in the Boulder suburbs. All six systems lost power, which in some cases led to a loss of water pressure, hampering firefighting. As firefighters worked on the Marshall Fire, water system operators raced to keep water flowing and contaminants from being transported into the water systems. But tests still detected chemical contamination, including benzene, in parts of the systems a few weeks later. Then, in January 2025, the Los Angeles fires supercharged concerns about water and wildfire. As firefighters raced to put out multiple fires, hydrants ran dry in some parts of the region, while others at higher elevations depressurized. Ultimately, over 16,000 structures were damaged, leading to insured losses estimated to be as high as US$45 billion. Water infrastructure is not merely collateral damage during wildfires—it is now a central concern. It also raises the question: What can residents, first responders and decision-makers reasonably expect from water systems that weren't designed with today's disasters in mind? Addressing the growing fire and water challenge While no two water systems or fires are the same, nearly every water system component, ranging from storage tanks to pipelines to treatment plants, is susceptible to damage. The Grand Canyon's Roaring Springs system exemplifies the complexity and fragility of older systems. It supplies water to both rims of the park through a decades-old network of gravity-fed pipes and tunnels and includes the water treatment facility where firefighters were forced to retreat because of the chlorine leak. Many water systems have vulnerable points within or near flammable wildlands, such as exposed pump houses that are crucial for pulling water from lower elevations to where it is needed. In addition, hazardous materials such as chlorine or ammonia may be stored on-site and require special considerations in high fire risk areas. Staff capacity is often limited; some small utilities depend on a single operator, and budgets may be too constrained to modernize aging infrastructure or implement fire mitigation measures. As climate change intensifies wildfire seasons, these vulnerabilities can become disaster risks that require making water infrastructure a more integral part of fighting and preparing for wildfires. Ways to help everyone prepare As a researcher with Arizona State University's Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, I have been working with colleagues and fire and water systems experts on strategies to help communities and fire and water managers prepare. Here are a few important lessons: Prioritizing fire-resistant construction, better shielding of chemicals and, in some cases, decentralizing water systems can help protect critical facilities, particularly in high-risk zones. Having backup power supplies, mobile treatment systems and alternate water sources are essential to provide more security in the face of a wildfire. Emergency command protocols and interagency coordination are most effective when they include water utilities as essential partners in all phases of emergency response, from planning to response to recovery. Fire crews and water operators can also benefit from joint training in emergency response, especially when system failure could hinder firefighting itself. Longer term, protecting upstream watersheds from severe fire by thinning forests and using controlled burns, along with erosion control measures, can help maintain water quality and reduce water pollution in the aftermath of fires. Smaller and more isolated systems, particularly in tribal or low-income communities, often need assistance to plan or implement new measures. These systems may require technical assistance, and regional support hubs could support communities with additional resources, including personnel and equipment, so they can respond quickly when crises strike. Looking ahead The Dragon Bravo Fire isn't just a wildfire story, it's also a water story, and it signals a larger, emerging challenge across the West. As fire seasons expand in size and complexity, the overlap between fire and water will only grow. The Grand Canyon fire offers a stark illustration of how wildfire can escalate into a multifaceted infrastructure crisis: Fire can damage water infrastructure, which in turn limits firefighting capabilities and stresses water supplies.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store