EditorGOWER: Seven fire crews tackle 120-hectare blaze on Cefn Bryn as windy conditions hamper efforts
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service say they received the call at 10.47am on Tuesday 7 April. Crews from Swansea West, Gorseinon, Morriston, Llanelli, Reynoldston, Port Talbot and Pontarddulais fire stations all attended the scene.
Cefn Bryn is a prominent ridge running through the heart of the Gower peninsula, designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its heathland and wildlife habitats. At 120 hectares — the equivalent of around 170 football pitches — Tuesday’s fire is the largest recorded on the ridge in recent years, surpassing the 100-hectare blaze that struck the same area in February 2025.
The scale of the devastation left behind at Cefn Bryn after the fire swept through 120 hectares of moorland. Image credit: Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue ServiceThe service say firefighters used wildfire beaters, blowers, knapsacks and hose reel jets to bring the blaze under control. A water bowser from Port Talbot Fire Station also attended to support crews on the ground.
The fire proved especially challenging, the service say, because windy conditions caused unpredictable fire behaviour that repeatedly hampered progress. Warm weather and the sheer length of the operation placed significant physical demands on firefighters throughout the day.
The final crews did not leave the scene until 5.32pm — almost seven hours after the first call.
Smoke billows skyward from the burning hillside at Cefn Bryn as crews worked to bring the blaze under control. Image credit: Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue ServiceGower’s common land has a history of deliberate fires during the spring months. Last April, a wild pony known locally as Henry died in a deliberately set fire near Copley Woods in Bishopston — the fifth fire in the same area within weeks — prompting an appeal from Bishopston Community Council and widespread public anger.
In a statement, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service warned that this time of year carries particular risks. “At this time of year, grass and mountainsides can dry out quickly,” the service said. “Even a small spark — accidental or deliberate — can escalate into a fast-moving fire capable of destroying habitats, landscapes, and homes within minutes.”
A firefighter works the fire line on the open moorland at Cefn Bryn, with the Gower peninsula stretching into the distance. Image credit: Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue ServiceTackling fires across Gower’s open moorland presents particular logistical challenges. The service has invested in specialist wildfire equipment in recent years, including an all-terrain vehicle fitted with an ultra-high-pressure pump and 300-litre water tank designed to reach areas inaccessible to conventional fire engines.
The fire comes amid growing concern about wildfires across Wales. According to the Wales Wildfire Board, fire services attended 3,474 grass fire incidents in Wales in 2025 — a 275% increase on the previous year. The most alarming trend was in deliberate fires, which rose to 2,357 incidents, up 256% and the highest number recorded since 2018.
A firefighter picks their way through smoke and charred ground during the seven-hour operation at Cefn Bryn. Image credit: Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue ServiceThe service is urging the public to follow the Wales Wildfire Board’s #WildfireWise guidance and take extra care when visiting the countryside during dry and windy conditions.
Anyone with information about the cause of the Cefn Bryn fire is asked to contact Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
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