RNLI St Davids help Mid & West Wales Fire & Rescue Service control island blaze

St Davids fire service requested the assistance of the all-weather lifeboat Norah Wortley to transfer staff and equipment following reports of people swimming to the island in an attempt to extinguish the blaze. Seven fire crew used a featherweight pump and hoses to douse the island with sea water in an operation lasting over seven hours.

This is the second time St Davids lifeboat volunteers have been called to wildfire concerns at Carreg Fran within the last month. Despite earlier attempts to control the fire, the islands peat surface has continued to smoulder. The fire is suspected to have started from the remnants of wild camping on the island and Mid & West Wales Fire & Rescue Service have issued the following safety advice:

· Only use barbeques in suitable and safe areas, never leave them unattended and always extinguish properly

· Don’t start fires in the countryside – dry vegetation means fires will spread quickly and easily.

Will Chant, RNLI Coxswain for St Davids RNLI lifeboat, says: ‘St Davids fire station requested our logistical help to safely transport their crew and equipment to Carreg Fran. We stood by in support whilst the fire crew tackled the wildfire. Despite their best efforts, the fire reignited the next day so we urge members of the public not to attempt to access the island as they are putting their own lives at risk.’

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