TIME NEEDED TO HEAL LAND FROM RUINOUS BLAZES
IT FELT like groundhog day this week with reports of yet another large mountain fire sweeping across Gwynedd’s Mynydd Tal y Mignedd and Mynydd Mawr. Crews of firefighters and a helicopter fought the blaze for more than a day with the fire being seen from as far away as Anglesey.
On Tuesday an equally devastating wildfire raged for several hours near homes in Abertridwr, mirroring scenes from Maesteg and Rhigos in previous days. According to experts on climate change and wildfires the scale of the blazes occurring in Wales are now much more likely to need intervention and cause longstanding destruction to beauty spots.
This is borne out in figures from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service which has revealed that while in 2018 the service attended 43 deliberate grass fires from January 1 to March 23, this year they have attended 145 during the same period. The vast majority of grass fires in Wales are started as a result of human behaviour, but a leading expert in the field says the fires are now exacerbated by more periods of prolonged extreme weather conditions as well as more “fuel” such as bracken, brush and heather.
We’ve come to Twmbarlwm mountain nestled in a stunning hilly setting northeast of Risca and just south of Cwmcarn Forest Drive to measure the long lasting effects of a huge wildfire on the land here. It is home to the iron hill fort at the peak which is thought to have been built by a Celtic tribe before the Romans. You don’t have to be here for five minutes to realise the connection between the locals and their mountain they call “the Twmp”.
When Terry Evans awoke on the morning of July 14, 2018, he could not have envisaged what he was about to witness. Terry had enjoyed the Twmp since he was a small boy and had spent years working to ensure its preservation for younger generations as chairman of the Cymdeithas Twmbarlwm Society.
“A friend of mine can see the mountain from her house,” the 69-year-old said from a quiet spot near the top of the mountain this week. “She rang me that morning and said: ‘Terry, do you know your mountain is on fire?’ To be honest I didn’t think it would come to anything, but I raced up here. I couldn’t believe it when I got here. I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing.”
The fire didn’t stop for 10 days as the smouldering peat teased firefighters again and again. The fuel created here by human intervention and weeks of dry weather meant even the slightest wind had the ability to stoke the diminishing flames.
Even now, almost four years on, there are regular reminders of what this mountain has endured and continues to endure due to the selfish nature of people intent on ruining what Terry’s community has worked so hard to protect. As we drive up the swirling mountain, the constant smell of smoke from bonfires and barbecues permeating the air, we pass numerous threats.
“I was up here yesterday and I brought back a gallon canister of petrol which was lying in the centre of the car park here,” Terry sighed with an ironic laugh. “When we’re up here litter picking the amount of barbecues and such like is just ridiculous. We even have remains of burnt out cars.”
Despite everything he and the society have done in removing rubbish, promoting the archaeological standing of the mountain and connecting the mountain with the locals, Terry says much more needs to be done. “We must do more to reduce the fuel for the fires and we know we have not done enough of that,” he said, again referring to the bracken and brush in front of us.
Professor Stefan Doerr is a leading expert in wildland fire science and climate change at Swansea University.
He said: “This fire at Twmbarlwm in 2018 occurred in a very long period of drought. Because it was so dry, the fire is much harder to put out. If it burns over peat soils, it might move into the ground, and then all it takes is a strong wind event to reignite.
“There are two main reasons why fires are getting bigger and more difficult to manage. The primary reason is that there is essentially an increase in fuel load caused by things like lessening farming, fewer cattle and sometimes landowners simply not caring about the land that much and just waiting for it to increase in value before selling it on.
“But there is also an increased probability of extensive dry periods in the UK with climate change and we’ve already seen this. It’s going to get worse, and once you’re getting into two or three weeks of dry weather you’re in a situation of high fire danger.”
Prof Doerr praised people like Terry and societies like his in playing a crucial role in preventing chances of ignition. “Identifying causes of fires is very difficult but in the UK we have almost zero likelihood of natural ignitions,” he explained. “Either someone deliberately sets fire to land for management pur
poses, or it’s anti-social behaviour.”
James Hepburn, forest operations team leader at Natural Resources Wales, said the Twmp is still seeing effects of the fire in 2018. “Deliberately set grass fires damaged more than 200 hectares of woodland at Twmbarlwm, destroying tens of thousands of newly planted trees, devastating wildlife and putting the local community and emergency services at risk,” he said.
“Recovery work at the site is still ongoing. Where the ground was badly damaged and natural regeneration was not possible, we’ve replanted with a mixture of species including silver birch and broadleaf, with a change in planting patterns that will help the woodland be more resistant to future wildfires.”
Maria Hurdley, Nichola Griffiths and her mother Vivien Moody say they remember watching the fire in disbelief from their estate in Ty Sign at the foot of the mountain. They say they worry about the drier seasons and the threat of it happening again.
“I remember watching the helicopters dousing it with water for days,” Maria said. “When we came up the Twmp as kids it used to be just mountains and there was always a little route, but now they’ve done so much development to it I think it has encouraged more people here.
“That’s really wonderful but I think the mountain has almost become a victim of its own success really. It’s encouraged people to almost see it as a playground and unfortunately not everyone is good spirited.”
Memories of fires on the mountain are engraved in Vivien’s memory. “When I was seven I remember a fire being beaten down by the firefighters. It was happening then and it’s worse now. I do worry. I think of all the wonderful wildlife up here, and of course I worry about the surrounding homes.
“It’s a special place, especially in the autumn with the beautiful colours, especially the bluebells. I’ve walked up the Twmp in the winter when you can see seven counties. It’s unbelievable.”
Keith Jones from Pontllanfraith has driven up the mountain for the third time this year with his mother Mary. “I’m in my sixties and I remember fires over the years here, but now they do seem to be worse,” he said.
“It’s devastating when you see it afterwards. I wonder how much of it is to do with the socioeconomic landscape. Kids haven’t got as many clubs to go to any more, have they?
“I hope as it becomes more popular people will take more care. Perhaps one of the results of the pandemic is that people are more aware of their local environment. I hope so.”
As Terry takes us back down the mountain he is full of pride for what the community has achieved so far. Sometimes he just needs to remind himself. “When you actually think about it, it’s quite remarkable,” he said. The traditional Hot Cross Bun walk during the Easter weekend is expected to attract more people than ever to the mountain this year.
“I’m nearly 70 and have lived here all my life,” he said. “The Twmp was my playground as a child. It’s a lovely place and we need to preserve it. I’m still up here once a week, the grandkids are up here too. You’ll never prevent the fires entirely, of course you won’t – we’re talking about society here. But our general belief is that if we can make a nice place for families to come then the baddies won’t hang around. I do think since the fire the mountain has become more precious to people here.”
A spokesman for Cadw said: “We are currently working with the Twmbarlwm Society, Caerphilly council, the Llanarth Estate, the grazier and the Gwent Wildlife Trust to devise a project to preserve the archaeology and ecology of Twmbarlwm. The aim is to devise a strategy that will ensure the vegetation is better managed into the future, safeguarding the nationally significant Iron Age remains and the diverse ecology of the hill whilst also ensuring Twmbarlwm is a safe and attractive place for visitors.”