Huge hillside blaze near Oswestry started by unattended bonfire
A large hill blaze that saw firefighters deployed from across Shropshire and Mid Wales was caused by an unattended bonfire, it has been revealed.
Firefighters were at the scene in Llangynog from around 5.30pm on Tuesday until 11.20am on Thursday after around three square miles of grass and heather was involved in the blaze.
Dramatic photos from the scene showed flames running down the hill side as smoke poured over the valley around 15 miles west of Oswestry.
Crews from Llanfyllin, Llanidloes, Welshpool, Newtown, Montgomery, Llanfair Caereinion and Knighton, along with crews from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, were sent to the incident.
Firefighters sectorised the fire and extinguished the main seats of fire using knapsack sprayers, beaters, hose-reel jets, a jet fire fogging unit and leaf blowers. Other seats of fires were left to burn out due to the difficult terrain.
Simon Jenkins, area manager and corporate head of response for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: "I would like to thank our firefighters who demonstrated the utmost professionalism and commitment to extinguish this fire on what is difficult hillside terrain and in the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak. I'm very proud of them.
"I would also like to thank our neighbouring fire and rescue services, North Wales Fire and Rescue service and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, for assisting us at the incident."
