A major incident remains in force near Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, where wildfires have burned across roughly 250 hectares for a third consecutive day, forcing the evacuation of up to 20 homes and the closure of several roads. South Wales Fire and Rescue Service has called in military support, with the Welsh government confirming that around 100 armed forces personnel will help ease pressure on overstretched crews, while a separate Army helicopter has been deployed to assist firefighters battling a blaze in Cwmavon, Torfaen.
Stephen Kinnock, Secretary of State for Wales, said troops had been sent to provide logistical assistance and to
ease the pressure on the groundas firefighters continue to battle blazes across the region.
Why has the military been called in?
The deployment followed a formal request from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service after what officials described as an extended spell of hot weather combined with heavy operational demand, according to a Welsh regional broadcaster's report. That report describes the approach as a formal Military Aid to the Civil Authorities request for Army resources, with support being tactical and logistical in nature. The Welsh government says it is ready to fund the operation if required. The same report notes the deployment is tied to several major wildfires burning simultaneously across south Wales, including sites at Blaenavon and Porth, not solely the Llandovery blaze.
What is happening in Cwmavon and Torfaen?
Personnel and an Army helicopter are supporting firefighters tackling a wildfire above Cwmavon, Torfaen council has said. Homes in the area were evacuated because of the direction the fire was moving, with Llanover Road closed and residents advised to keep windows and doors shut due to swirling smoke, according to a local newspaper's report. People have also been warned not to fly drones in the area, as they risk interfering with the military helicopter and a fire service drone operating over the site, a warning consistent with earlier guidance from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service's newsroom update that drone use can disrupt helicopter operations during wildfire incidents.
How is the Llandovery community responding?
Residents and businesses around Llandovery have rallied to support emergency crews and displaced neighbours. Lynn Martin, whose family runs the Llanerchindda Farm Guest House, said fire crews stayed overnight at the property after bookings for the weekend were cancelled.
We cooked breakfast for them and then off they went at six this morning.
We were worried the fire was going to get us. You couldn't see an inch outside the house.
Martin said she was
very concernedgiven the number of fields surrounding the guest house, and estimated the business had lost several thousand pounds from cancelled bookings.
Luckily it meant we could house the fire crews instead. We were going to give the rooms for free but they've offered to pay.
Nerys Jones, a community councillor for Rhandirmwyn, said the fire had advanced towards the village and described the situation as
scary.
Thankfully everyone had somewhere to go, the community have been fantastic.
She added it must have been
awful for those asked to leave their homes behind. Jonathan Stanley, manager of The Kings Head Inn in Llandovery, said locals had described hearing the fire from miles away.
Councillor Handel Davies said between 17 and 20 houses across two streets in Rhandirmwyn had been evacuated as a precaution, and road closures remain in place in the area. Elidyr Communities Trust, which supports young adults with complex learning needs and disabilities, has also evacuated its site; the organisation said all residents and learners were safe and well, with those able to travel taken away for the weekend. It thanked
everyone who has stepped up to help in this extremely difficult and unprecedented situation. Residents, learners and staff had earlier sheltered at Llangadog Community Centre.
Carmarthenshire County Council has opened a rest centre at Llandovery Leisure Centre, which it says will remain available throughout the day; a second rest centre was also set up at Rhondda Fach Leisure Centre for people displaced by fires elsewhere in the region, according to a Welsh regional broadcaster's report. According to Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service's incident update, the Rhandirmwyn wildfire is being managed through a multi-agency Tactical Coordination Group, with crews continuing to monitor and contain the affected land. Local traders have also pitched in, including a fish and chip shop feeding firefighters and farmers, while nearby stables have offered space for any horses displaced by the blaze.
How are fire crews coping across mid and west Wales?
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said crews had spent more than 90 hours on operational incidents in Llanwrtyd Wells, Merthyr Tydfil and Ebbw Vale.
It has been tough, however, we have been overwhelmed by the support we have received during this time,the service said, thanking local businesses that have kept crews fuelled with food and drinks. A fire was also seen above Cwm, Ebbw Vale on 14 August 2026. Sallie Jones, a spokesperson for Cwm Task Force, said the community had been working together to reassure frightened residents.
If it was a different wind direction, it could have been total devastation.
The whole village was fearful, with people calling up last night asking us if they were safe to sleep there. That's what we're here for, reassurance and being there as a community.
What is happening in Ferndale?
A separate flare-up in Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taf, has left residents badly shaken. A journalist reporting from the scene said locals were extremely frightened, with resident Mark Carmody describing flames coming within 30 metres of his home while firefighters doused the rear of the building and dampened surrounding bracken.
The Ferndale fire had already been declared a major incident earlier in August, and officials later concluded it had been reignited through deliberate fire-setting, according to an earlier broadcaster report. South Wales Fire and Rescue Service's newsroom update confirms the Ferndale and Llanwonno wildfire remains an active, ongoing incident, with the service working alongside South Wales Police, Natural Resources Wales and local authorities. Police investigating a separate deliberate fire on the mountain near Pleasant Heights, Porth, said they had arrested four 14-year-old boys from Porth on suspicion of arson; the boys remain on police bail.
What warnings have been issued?
The UK government issued an emergency alert to phones across England and Wales on 14 August 2026 warning of a very high risk of wildfires nationally. The alert urged people not to start fires, including disposable barbecues, firepits, garden incinerators or fireworks, stating that even a small flame can rapidly develop into a major wildfire placing lives, homes, businesses and emergency responders at risk. The Prime Minister urged people to take the alert seriously, saying everyone should take extra care and avoid lighting fires in gardens, the countryside or other open spaces, including parks, moorland and wooded areas.
What other incidents are crews tackling?
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service reported responding to around 30 separate incidents across the region, with a significant number of resources concentrated at Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taf. The service said challenging terrain, high temperatures and shifting wind conditions were continuing to complicate firefighting operations. Crews remained deployed at Tredegar in Blaenau Gwent, Van Road in Garth, Blaenavon, Porth, Merthyr Tydfil, Penrhys, Bike Park Wales near Merthyr, Cwmavon in Torfaen and Cwm near Ebbw Vale.
The wider crisis follows weeks of wildfire activity across Wales during a prolonged heatwave. Fire chiefs previously activated national emergency arrangements after crews in north and south Wales were stretched by multiple blazes and residents complained about a shortage of helicopters, as detailed in our earlier coverage of Wales' wildfire crisis response. An earlier major incident was also declared in north Wales as firefighters battled wildfires across the country amid record heat, as reported in our previous coverage of the major incident declared across Wales. A specialist firefighting helicopter had already been sent to the Rhinogydd in Gwynedd earlier in the summer after aerial support was sought for the wider Welsh response, according to a BBC News report, and Welsh ministers had already been discussing specialist capabilities such as helicopters and Ministry of Defence support as part of wildfire planning, according to a Welsh news site's report.
What happens next?
Despite cooler temperatures on 15 August 2026, crews across Wales continued to battle fires. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said firefighters remained at the scene near Llandovery and were continuing to make progress in responding to what it described as a challenging and dynamic incident, according to the service's newsroom update. Officials are also due to carry out a further assessment of aerial support for the Ferndale response, with a temporary no-fly zone remaining in place over the area, according to a local radio station's report. Crews are expected to remain on scene at Rhandirmwyn to monitor and control the fire, and the Welsh government has said it stands ready to fund the military support operation if it proves necessary. With hot weather having driven the crisis and further demand possible, fire services across south Wales are bracing for continued pressure on already stretched resources.
Key Facts
- Up to 20 homes evacuated near Rhandirmwyn as roads remain closed.
- Wildfire near Llandovery has burned roughly 250 hectares over three days.
- Around 100 military personnel and a separate Army helicopter deployed to support Welsh fire services, including at Cwmavon, Torfaen.
- Four 14-year-old boys from Porth arrested on suspicion of arson over a deliberate fire near Pleasant Heights; they remain on police bail.
- A national emergency alert warning of a very high risk of wildfires was sent to phones across England and Wales on 14 August 2026.
