Firefighters have confirmed they were called to 30 separate wildfire incidents across South Wales yesterday as police and local authorities swooped in to evacuate some people from their homes.

The location of homes evacuated near the wildfire in Cwmavon Woods, near Blaenavon, last night, has now been confirmed as Llanover Lane, close to the common where the fire raised its head at the start of this week. Residents were asked to leave their homes as a precaution due to the ‘direction of the fire’ and unfavourable swirling wind in the area.

Firefighters, farmers and contractors continue to work around the clock to help bring the incident to a close, while extra resources from all corners of the UK have descended on South Wales to assist local crews in their bid to end the saga which has seen the area covered in thick blankets of smoke.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Adam Openshaw, said: "Our firefighters have been working tirelessly over a prolonged period of intense wildfire activity and continue to respond to multiple incidents across South Wales and Gwent.”

"We are strengthening our resilience arrangements and seeking additional support from partner organisations and neighbouring services to help us protect communities and support our crews during this sustained period of demand.”

"These conditions are creating an extremely high risk of fire spread, and our resources remain under significant pressure. We are grateful for the continued support and hard work of our crews and colleagues, partner agencies, fire and rescue services from across the UK, local communities and everyone who is helping to keep people safe.”

"We are asking the public to play their part by avoiding activities that could start fires and by reporting any signs of new wildfires where property is at risk on 999.”

"Our colleagues in Control are dealing with numerous calls about smoke in the area and we have instigated additional support to deal with the volume of calls we are receiving. Please be assured that we are aware of these incidents and have crews responding where required."

Weather forecasts indicate that wildfire conditions are likely to remain challenging over the coming days. While temperatures are expected to ease slightly, the ongoing dry conditions mean that vegetation remains highly susceptible to ignition. It also means that smoke is likely to settle closer to the ground overnight as temperatures reduce.