Ceredigion’s wildfires are a wake-up call on the climate crisis, say Climate Cymru, 350.org, the Centre for Alternative Technology and the Fire Brigades Union.
The devastating wildfire that raged for four days across Cwm Rheidol in Ceredigion - scarring the land across an area equivalent to 4,000 football pitches - has sparked urgent calls for action from climate groups, firefighters, and sustainability experts.
With crews from across mid and west Wales deployed to contain the blaze, campaigners say this is further proof that the climate emergency is no longer a distant threat but a daily reality in Wales.
“This fire is a symptom of a world that’s heating far too fast,” said Sam Ward, Head of Climate Cymru. “People are right to be concerned. We’re seeing not just bad luck or a one-off anomaly - it’s climate change. Rising temperatures, prolonged dry spells, and shifting weather patterns are turning our landscapes into tinderboxes. The climate crisis is here, and it’s burning across our hills.”
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that while the cause of the wildfire is officially still “unknown,” increasingly dry and volatile conditions have dramatically raised the risk of these kinds of blazes. Wildfire officers assessed the damage across a vast area from Cwm Rheidol to land above Strata Florida near Tregaron.
“Wales is on the frontline of the climate emergency” said Sam Ward, head of Climate Cymru, a coalition of over 380 organisations from across Wales.
“Events like these wildfires are not isolated. They are part of a disturbing trend that threatens our communities, ecosystems, and way of life. We need urgent climate action—locally, nationally, and globally. Done right, climate solutions will not only tackle out-of-control wildfire, but will seriously improve the lives of our communities”
Kim Bryan of 350.org added: “The Welsh Government is implementing forward-thinking plans to tackle the climate emergency, including legally binding net zero targets by 2050 and a commitment to generate 70 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2030. We owe it to our communities, to our firefighters literally battling on the frontlines, and to future generations to face the full truth of this crisis. That means accelerating the transition to renewables, halting fossil fuel subsidies, and taking bold action to protect our land, air, and water. Wales is making progress—but these fires are a warning that delay will cost lives and livelihoods.”
Rob Bullen from the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) stressed that while governments must lead, individual and community-level action can also play a powerful role.
He said: “We urgently need to power down fossil fuels and power up renewables—and we can start right here in our homes and communities. Simple, accessible measures like insulating houses, switching to low-carbon heating, and generating local renewable energy not only reduce emissions but make us more resilient to future shocks. This fire is a wake-up call—climate action starts at every level.”
Gareth Tovey, Fire Brigades Union (FBU) executive council member for Wales, said:
“The alarming rise in wildfires this spring is the tip of the iceberg – rising temperatures mean these events will become more common, endangering homes and lives. Firefighters are on the front line of the climate crisis, fighting blazes that are growing in frequency and intensity. But since 2010, we have lost one in five firefighter jobs across the UK, and dozens of fire stations have been shut. We need urgent investment if we are going to keep communities safe.
“No amount of mitigation can compensate for truly catastrophic climate change. Firefighters are demanding bold action to address the root cause of the climate crisis.”
Campaigners are calling on Welsh and UK governments to rapidly scale up investment in climate resilience, reduce emissions, and shift away from the fossil fuels that are driving global heating.