Pensychnant

FIRE AT SYCHNANT

12-13 July

Social Media and news channels are full of images and videos of the major fire at Sychnant yesterday and today (The drone photo is shared from Colin Lyness with Pensychnant's Ffridd wall up the middle). I think the danger here is now over, though the fire still smoulders.

I have walked round this morning. All of the heather on Pensychnant Ffridd, except the hill with the monument, is completely gone; all of the Fairy Glen above the Donkey Path, right up to the back gardens of houses in Capelulo and the gate of Pen Ffordd Goch; and all of the Mountain nearly as far as Maen Amor. This fire was big; BBC reports it to be 230 acres. Worse than that, it was a very intense, hot fire because of the the drought. Pensychnant has witnessed many fires over the years, some big ones, but this is the worst. Even the soil has burned, leaving a dusty black moonscape. Fortunately most of the birds have already fledged their nests but snakes and lizards, invertebrates and small mammals will have had no escape. All vegetation has been erased. It will take decades before it is heathery again. Will the cuckoo come next spring?

However, we have been lucky. Homes in Capelulo were evacuated and we too were advised to have our bags ready. This was scary. The fact that no buildings or lives have been lost is thanks to fantastic effort by the firemen. 12 or 13 fire tenders were here last night, which may be half of the usual fleet of North Wales. Some of the firemen were here at 6am – 9pm yesterday, and returned 3am this morning, and they are still here. Others were here all night. Some returned from fighting fires in Harlech all day, to come the Sychnant at 3am this morning. Thank you all. To say that the firecrews were fantastic sounds trite and inadequate, but they were FANTASTIC.

The firemen are still in attendance but say that the danger here has past, if only because there is nothing left to burn.

We have had lots of kind wishes, even offers of accommodation, which is very heartening at this rather dispiriting time. We thank everyone for their support.

Pensychnant endures.

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