Latest news with #GarethWynJones
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Wildfires are ‘disaster waiting to happen', farmers warn
Farmers have warned that wildfires are a 'disaster waiting to happen' as a third heatwave looms. The Met Office has issued seven red 'very high' UV alerts ahead of the third heatwave in four weeks. Temperatures are expected to climb into the low 30s again from Wednesday into next week, following the UK's warmest spring on record and driest for more than 50 years. Gareth Wyn Jones, a sheep farmer and campaigner from Llanfairfechan, has sounded the alarm over the threat of wildfires on arid UK farmland. He told The Telegraph: 'Of course we are fearful, we've got mountains like tinder boxes and no one listens.' Mr Wyn Jones, whose family have farmed in Wales for over 370 years, said the incentivised removal of grazing sheep from upland areas was creating a dangerous build-up of dry vegetation. 'They don't understand that ruminants keep these areas from burning,' he said, adding: 'It's a disaster waiting to happen. 'Steve Reed [the Secretary of State for Environment and Rural Affairs] wants to clear animals from the uplands and give more money to help wildfires.' Natural England, the Government's nature watchdog, has been incentivising farmers to remove animals to protect wildlife and prevent overgrazing, leading to sheep numbers in England falling by 7 per cent in the last two years. The Moorland Association has estimated that there are now 600,000 tons of extra vegetation being left on the land each year. Earlier this year, Andrew Gilruth, the association's chief executive, said that 'sooner or later there will be a strong wind blowing the wrong way with our northern cities most at risk', adding: 'It may happen under Angela Rayner's watch.' In March, fire crews tackling a moorland fire in Cumbria said that the 'fire loading' of dead vegetation was 'increasing the risk of wildfire'. By April, more than 29,200 hectares (292sq km) of land had been scorched by wildfires, according to satellite imagery from the Global Wildfire Information System. This was already higher than the total for any year since the researchers started recording data in 2012. Last week, a wildfire broke out in the Shropshire Hills, prompting homes and businesses to be evacuated while farmers tackled the blaze. In 2023 the cost of farm fires in the UK increased by 37 per cent to an estimated £110.3 million, according to NFU Mutual's latest data. Rachel Hallos, the NFU vice-president, said wildfires were 'a serious threat to the countryside'. She told The Telegraph: 'We can see how fast these fires can spread, putting both people and animals at risk and destroying valuable crops, grassland and infrastructure. 'Farmers are on the front line of this crisis, but we can't tackle this alone. It's vital that government and fire services work with us on prevention, education and response and urgently review whether some changes in land management – particularly in the uplands – could be increasing wildfire risk as hotter, drier summers become more frequent.' Ms Hallos urged all those enjoying the countryside this summer to do their part in abiding by the Countryside Code, avoiding open fires and reporting any signs of fire immediately. 'Protecting our farmland means protecting our food, our environment and our rural way of life,' she added. The Met Office's definition of a heatwave is three consecutive days of temperatures exceeding the 'heatwave threshold' for that part of the country. For most of the UK, this is 25C, with slightly higher numbers for the South and East, rising to 28C in London. Dan Holley, the deputy chief meteorologist, said that 'this heatwave is likely to last longer than previous ones so far this summer and affect a wider area'. He explained that high pressure from the Atlantic would 'gradually exert influence over the UK this week', with temperatures building from 28C on Wednesday, to 30C on Thursday to 32C on Friday. 'By this stage, heatwave criteria are likely to be met in parts of England and Wales, and in parts of Scotland over the weekend,' he said, adding: 'High temperatures are likely to persist into the weekend, especially away from coasts with onshore winds, reaching the low 30s in portions of England and Wales, and accompanied by rising humidity and warmer nights.' Waters to the south of the UK are also experiencing a significant marine heatwave, with the conditions expected to persist and intensify over the coming week. A spokesman for the National Fire Chiefs Council told The Telegraph: 'With the long, dry and warm conditions continuing, we will see an increased risk of wildfires. This is especially important in those areas where communities border the countryside and there is greater risk to life and property. 'Effective land management will reduce or at least mitigate some of that risk to those lives and property. This might be done on an individual or community level – for example, with projects like Firewise-UK which encourages communities to work together to reduce their wildfire risk by taking practical steps in the area around the home and garden – or by land managers on a larger scale.'
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Climate
- Telegraph
Wildfires are ‘disaster waiting to happen', farmers warn
Farmers have warned that wildfires are a 'disaster waiting to happen' as a third heatwave looms. The Met Office has issued seven red 'very high' UV alerts ahead of the third heatwave in four weeks. Temperatures are expected to climb into the low 30s again from Wednesday into next week, following the UK's warmest spring on record and driest for more than 50 years. Gareth Wyn Jones, a sheep farmer and campaigner from Llanfairfechan, has sounded the alarm over the threat of wildfires on arid UK farmland. He told The Telegraph: 'Of course we are fearful, we've got mountains like tinder boxes and no one listens.' Mr Wyn Jones, whose family have farmed in Wales for over 370 years, said the incentivised removal of grazing sheep from upland areas was creating a dangerous build-up of dry vegetation. 'They don't understand that ruminants keep these areas from burning,' he said, adding: 'It's a disaster waiting to happen. 'Steve Reed [the Secretary of State for Environment and Rural Affairs] wants to clear animals from the uplands and give more money to help wildfires.' Natural England, the Government's nature watchdog, has been incentivising farmers to remove animals to protect wildlife and prevent overgrazing, leading to sheep numbers in England falling by 7 per cent in the last two years. The Moorland Association has estimated that there are now 600,000 tons of extra vegetation being left on the land each year. Earlier this year, Andrew Gilruth, the association's chief executive, said that 'sooner or later there will be a strong wind blowing the wrong way with our northern cities most at risk', adding: 'It may happen under Angela Rayner's watch.' In March, fire crews tackling a moorland fire in Cumbria said that the 'fire loading' of dead vegetation was 'increasing the risk of wildfire'. By April, more than 29,200 hectares (292sq km) of land had been scorched by wildfires, according to satellite imagery from the Global Wildfire Information System. This was already higher than the total for any year since the researchers started recording data in 2012. Last week, a wildfire broke out in the Shropshire Hills, prompting homes and businesses to be evacuated while farmers tackled the blaze. In 2023 the cost of farm fires in the UK increased by 37 per cent to an estimated £110.3 million, according to NFU Mutual's latest data. Rachel Hallos, the NFU vice-president, said wildfires were 'a serious threat to the countryside'. She told The Telegraph: 'We can see how fast these fires can spread, putting both people and animals at risk and destroying valuable crops, grassland and infrastructure. 'Farmers are on the front line of this crisis, but we can't tackle this alone. It's vital that government and fire services work with us on prevention, education and response and urgently review whether some changes in land management – particularly in the uplands – could be increasing wildfire risk as hotter, drier summers become more frequent.' Ms Hallos urged all those enjoying the countryside this summer to do their part in abiding by the Countryside Code, avoiding open fires and reporting any signs of fire immediately. 'Protecting our farmland means protecting our food, our environment and our rural way of life,' she added. The Met Office's definition of a heatwave is three consecutive days of temperatures exceeding the 'heatwave threshold' for that part of the country. For most of the UK, this is 25C, with slightly higher numbers for the South and East, rising to 28C in London. Dan Holley, the deputy chief meteorologist, said that 'this heatwave is likely to last longer than previous ones so far this summer and affect a wider area'. He explained that high pressure from the Atlantic would 'gradually exert influence over the UK this week', with temperatures building from 28C on Wednesday, to 30C on Thursday to 32C on Friday. 'By this stage, heatwave criteria are likely to be met in parts of England and Wales, and in parts of Scotland over the weekend,' he said, adding: 'High temperatures are likely to persist into the weekend, especially away from coasts with onshore winds, reaching the low 30s in portions of England and Wales, and accompanied by rising humidity and warmer nights.' Waters to the south of the UK are also experiencing a significant marine heatwave, with the conditions expected to persist and intensify over the coming week. A spokesman for the National Fire Chiefs Council told The Telegraph: 'With the long, dry and warm conditions continuing, we will see an increased risk of wildfires. This is especially important in those areas where communities border the countryside and there is greater risk to life and property. 'Effective land management will reduce or at least mitigate some of that risk to those lives and property. This might be done on an individual or community level – for example, with projects like Firewise-UK which encourages communities to work together to reduce their wildfire risk by taking practical steps in the area around the home and garden – or by land managers on a larger scale.'
Pembrokeshire Herald
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Pupils with additional needs thrive at inclusive Aberystwyth school
Politicians, tv celebrities and national farming icons are all gathering forces to help safeguard a north Pembrokeshire school that's threatened with closure. For almost 200 years, Ysgol Clydau has taught children living in, and around, the village of Tegryn. But now, following a 34% drop in numbers, its classrooms could be closed for good by the end of the next academic year. Now, in a full-on effort to save the highly respected school from closure, a campaign is being endorsed by some of Wales' most prominent entertainers including the Welsh Whisperer, Gareth Wyn Jones and local politicians Ben Lake, MP, and Senedd Member Paul Davies. Meanwhile, a petition launched by concerned parent Sarah Farnden has already secured over 800 signatures in just two weeks. 'This just proves the strength of feeling that we have here in north Pembrokeshire, where people are prepared to do everything they can to save Ysgol Clydau from closure,' said Iwan Ward who is the local county councillor. 'But it's not just the children at the school who will be affected – the entire community in and around Tegryn is going to be hit. You only have to look at other villages which have lost their local primary schools, and you'll see that the majority of their residents are retired. Young families are choosing not to live there because the villages no longer have schools.' There are currently 36 children on Ysgol Clydau's register which represents a 34% enrolment drop from 2015 to 2025. As a result, Pembrokeshire County Council's School Modernisation Working Group has recommended a statutory consultation on closing Ysgol Clydau. 'It doesn't add up,' continued Iwan Ward. 'There's a school in Carmarthenshire which has only eight pupils, and this school has been told that it needs to attract an additional 10 or 12 children to remain open, which will bring it up to 20. Yet here we have Tegryn school with 38 pupils threatened with closure, and this figure is expected to rise with plans to build 30 affordable mixed housing units in the area which will obviously bring in more young families with children.' Cllr Ward believes that if the local authority's proposal is implemented, up to 50% of Ysgol Clydau's pupils will choose to be educated at home. 'And this is something I strongly disagree with,' he said. 'Many parents choose to teach their children only what they want them to learn rather than a wider, more all-embracing education. 'And the children are also in danger of missing out on a lot of social awareness and communication skills.' A recent Estyn inspection described the school as being 'happy, caring and welcoming' while its teaching standards are, according to Iwan Ward, exemplary. 'Its ALN support (Additional Learning Needs) support is absolutely first class – you really couldn't find better, and a lot of children are benefitting hugely from this. But if those children are suddenly made to go to a much bigger school, in this case Ysgol y Frenni in Crymych which has class sizes of around 30 children, they're going to feel lost. 'Ysgol Clydau is a real family concern where its teachers know the children's quirks, their strengths and their weaknesses, and these can all be taken on board in how the children are taught. 'To take all this away from them and to take the heart of the village away from Tegryn is unacceptable. 'Parents are starting to worry about whether they should be pulling their children out of the school now, before the consultation takes place in September, or should they continue in Ysgol Clydau hoping that it doesn't close the following July. Unfortunately these are questions I can't answer. 'Let's start fighting, and show the county council exactly how strongly the community feels about ensuring that Ysgol Clydau remains here in Tegryn, where it belongs.'
Pembrokeshire Herald
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Fight gains momentum to save historic Pembrokeshire school
Politicians, tv celebrities and national farming icons are all gathering forces to help safeguard a north Pembrokeshire school that's threatened with closure. For almost 200 years, Ysgol Clydau has taught children living in, and around, the village of Tegryn. But now, following a 34% drop in numbers, its classrooms could be closed for good by the end of the next academic year. Now, in a full-on effort to save the highly respected school from closure, a campaign is being endorsed by some of Wales' most prominent entertainers including the Welsh Whisperer, Gareth Wyn Jones and local politicians Ben Lake, MP, and Senedd Member Paul Davies. Meanwhile, a petition launched by concerned parent Sarah Farnden has already secured over 800 signatures in just two weeks. 'This just proves the strength of feeling that we have here in north Pembrokeshire, where people are prepared to do everything they can to save Ysgol Clydau from closure,' said Iwan Ward who is the local county councillor. 'But it's not just the children at the school who will be affected – the entire community in and around Tegryn is going to be hit. You only have to look at other villages which have lost their local primary schools, and you'll see that the majority of their residents are retired. Young families are choosing not to live there because the villages no longer have schools.' There are currently 36 children on Ysgol Clydau's register which represents a 34% enrolment drop from 2015 to 2025. As a result, Pembrokeshire County Council's School Modernisation Working Group has recommended a statutory consultation on closing Ysgol Clydau. 'It doesn't add up,' continued Iwan Ward. 'There's a school in Carmarthenshire which has only eight pupils, and this school has been told that it needs to attract an additional 10 or 12 children to remain open, which will bring it up to 20. Yet here we have Tegryn school with 38 pupils threatened with closure, and this figure is expected to rise with plans to build 30 affordable mixed housing units in the area which will obviously bring in more young families with children.' Cllr Ward believes that if the local authority's proposal is implemented, up to 50% of Ysgol Clydau's pupils will choose to be educated at home. 'And this is something I strongly disagree with,' he said. 'Many parents choose to teach their children only what they want them to learn rather than a wider, more all-embracing education. 'And the children are also in danger of missing out on a lot of social awareness and communication skills.' A recent Estyn inspection described the school as being 'happy, caring and welcoming' while its teaching standards are, according to Iwan Ward, exemplary. 'Its ALN support (Additional Learning Needs) support is absolutely first class – you really couldn't find better, and a lot of children are benefitting hugely from this. But if those children are suddenly made to go to a much bigger school, in this case Ysgol y Frenni in Crymych which has class sizes of around 30 children, they're going to feel lost. 'Ysgol Clydau is a real family concern where its teachers know the children's quirks, their strengths and their weaknesses, and these can all be taken on board in how the children are taught. 'To take all this away from them and to take the heart of the village away from Tegryn is unacceptable. 'Parents are starting to worry about whether they should be pulling their children out of the school now, before the consultation takes place in September, or should they continue in Ysgol Clydau hoping that it doesn't close the following July. Unfortunately these are questions I can't answer. 'Let's start fighting, and show the county council exactly how strongly the community feels about ensuring that Ysgol Clydau remains here in Tegryn, where it belongs.'
