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Fire crews rescued by helicopter Fire crews airlifted after blaze
(about 4 hours later)
A team of 19 firefighters was airlifted to safety from a Snowdonia mountainside after battling all day against a four-acre grass fire. A team of 19 firefighters was airlifted from Snowdonia after battling against a 20-hectare grass fire started by a discarded cigarette.
The RAF Valley helicopter rescued them at 2030 BST on Saturday after it got too dark for them to return by foot. Crews had walked for an hour and a half to reach the scene of the blaze at Carnedd y Cribau, Nant Gwynant.
Crews had to leave the fire burning at Moel Siabod as they were flown to safety. The cause is still unknown. But they were needed urgently at another, deliberate grass fire, and were airlifted by an RAF Valley helicopter at 2030 BST on Saturday.
Elsewhere, firefighters tackled a grass fire near Harlech twice after it re-lit and spread due to high winds. The fire service said such incidents were continuing to "drain" resources.
The grass fire at Y Garth was initially put out after it started on Saturday evening. North Wales Fire Service said it would have taken the crews - from Betws y Coed, Llanberis, Caernarfon and Porthmadog - too long to walk down from the mountainside. Darkness was also beginning to fall.
But at midnight, it re-ignited and by 0200 BST Sunday it had spread to cover an area of 400 sq m (4306 sq ft). These incidents are a huge drain on our resources North Wales Fire Service
Fire crews left the scene by 0600 BST after successfully dousing the blaze. County Operations Manager Glyn Jones, said: "The reason the fire crews were flown down in the 22 Squadron helicopter was that we needed to get the crews and resources back into the local community as soon as possible to provide the best cover for the public of North Wales."
He added: "The cause of this fire has been established as a discarded cigarette.
"We are asking members of the public who are out in the countryside during this hot weather not to throw their cigarettes without ensure that they are extinguished properly.
"These incidents are a huge drain on our resources and put the lives of the firefighters and public at risk."
After the 19 firefighters were airlifted from the area, crews were dispatched to tackle a grass fire which was started deliberately at Llandecwyn near Harlech.
Five appliances tackled the blaze which was started at around midnight and covered an area of 400 sq m (4306 sq ft).
The blaze was doused by 0600 BST.
WildlifeWildlife
The incidents follow a recent spate of grass and gorse fires which put the emergency services under immense pressure. The incidents follow a recent spate of grass and gorse fires.
Over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, there were hundreds of incidents across Wales which firefighters said had drained resources.Over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, there were hundreds of incidents across Wales which firefighters said had drained resources.
The fire service said the weekend was one of the worst they have ever experienced for countryside fires, with South Wales alone receiving 5,500 calls in just 10 days.The fire service said the weekend was one of the worst they have ever experienced for countryside fires, with South Wales alone receiving 5,500 calls in just 10 days.
Officers made a plea to the public to be more careful in the countryside while experts warned of the consequences for wildlife and their habitats.Officers made a plea to the public to be more careful in the countryside while experts warned of the consequences for wildlife and their habitats.