Fire crews tackle Mayhill blaze as suspected deliberate fires raise concern

Firefighters were called to a large hillside fire in Mayhill on Sunday evening after flames spread across land close to Seaview school.

The incident began at around 7:15 p.m., with crews from Swansea Central and Morriston stations working through the evening to bring the fire under control. Firefighters returned to the site Monday morning to inspect the area and make sure there were no remaining hotspots.

The blaze affected roughly two hectares of vegetation and appeared to have spread across several areas of the hillside.

Because of the steep and uneven ground, crews relied on handheld equipment, including beaters, knapsack sprayers and hose-reel jets, to tackle the flames.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the incident was linked to several fires that it believes had been started deliberately.

The service has not confirmed how many separate fires were involved, while no arrests have been reported.

The flames remained visible for several hours, with local residents reporting the fire during the early hours of Monday.

Firefighters have renewed warnings about the dangers of deliberately starting fires, particularly during the current dry conditions. Such incidents can spread rapidly, threaten nearby homes and buildings, damage wildlife and habitats, and place additional pressure on emergency services.

The Mayhill fire comes as fire crews across Wales continue to deal with elevated wildfire risks following a prolonged period of dry weather.

Recent wildfires have been reported in several parts of the region, while emergency warnings about the risk of wildfires were issued across Wales earlier this month.

The fire service is urging people to avoid activities that could start fires in dry grass or vegetation and to report suspicious behaviour.

Anyone with information about suspected deliberate fires can contact South Wales Police or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.