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

Lifeboats News Release

St Davids lifeboat volunteers provided support to local fire crews tackling a wildfire on Carreg Fran off Porthlysgi beach on Monday 8th August.

RNLI/St Davids Lifeboat Station

Norah Wortley stands by

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.’


RNLI media contacts

For more information please telephone Simone Eade, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on [email protected] or Claire Elshaw, Regional Media Officer on 07468 353 0821 or [email protected] or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.

Jonno Voyce

Carreg Fran ablaze

RNLI/St Davids Lifeboat Station

St davids fire crew tackle the wildfire

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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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