FLAMING HOT
BY PAUL BYRNE A HELICOPTER dumps 1000 litres of water on a blazing forest hillside.
The fight has lasted four days but the steepness of the Rheidol Valley, mid Wales, has hampered efforts.
Fire trucks have been unable to reach the remote area, a few miles inland from Aberystwyth, and the specialist chopper crew has been the only hope.
There is no help from the weather on the way – the Met Office says the sunshine will continue over the weekend and into next week.
Any slight rainfall would evaporate before it hits the ground. Porthmadog, North West Wales, became the UK’s hot spot for the third day in a row yesterday.
Temperatures reached 32.5C, slightly down on Thursday’s reading of 33C, have been spreading dust on melting roads to stop tar sticking to tyres.
East of Manchester, fire fighters and soldiers kept battling the Saddleworth Moor blaze which has forced residents to flee homes and led to health warnings about breathing in smoke.
Experts believe they are winning the battle to get the seven-square-mile fire under control but warn it may be weeks before it the smouldering peat is fully extinguished.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham wants to extend the Army presence for another three days in case the flames take hold again.
A blaze 20 miles away on Winter Hill, near Bolton, appeared to be under control.
A 22-year-old local man was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. GRITTING Truck spreads dust to stop tar sticking
an hour is the cost of keeping fire-fighting helicopter in the air