Prince William has warned that UK wildfires are a terrifying new normal after visiting firefighters in South Wales who battled record-breaking blazes this summer.
In October, the Prince of Wales made an unannounced visit to crews from the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service in Treherbert. He travelled to the area to thank personnel personally for their work during the crisis. The visit coincided with William, the King and the Queen travelling to Aberfan to mark the 60th anniversary of the mining disaster there.
"This is why I wanted to be here today to say thank you to all of you because it was a hell of an effort."
William praised the teams for what he called a gargantuan effort. Their actions, he said, saved many houses, large areas of land and numerous lives. The Prince highlighted the urgent need for better preparation as climate change drives hotter and drier summers. His presence underscored the severe impact on Welsh communities, which bore the brunt of the fire season.
In August, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident. The service had to respond to 14 wildfires simultaneously, including the blaze above Treherbert. Support arrived from 22 other UK fire services to assist with the operation. Soldiers were also deployed to dig fire breaks and help supply water to douse the flames. This included 200 members of the Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment, who helped deliver 2.1 million litres of water.
Wales accounted for around 60% of all UK wildfires during the period. The region dealt with four major incidents in the summer, with fire zones established in more than 50 locations. The National Fire Chiefs Council reported a new peak in recorded significant wildfires. England and Wales recorded 1,350 such fires in 2026, more than 300 above the 2025 total and more than 1,000 above the 2024 figure. Months of record-breaking heat and dry conditions sparked the wave of fires through spring and summer.
"We might go again next season… it’s quite a terrifying prospect if we’re not… on the ball."
William said that 2026 was the first summer when he felt generally worried about the scale of wildfires in the country. He stressed the importance of preparing as such events become a seasonal reality. The UK should take wildfires as seriously as continental Europe does, he said. He also voiced concern about the country’s shortage of firefighting aircraft and noted growing Government recognition of the need for aircraft to tackle fires.
William recalled flying water bowsers in the Falklands to put out range fires. He spent three years at RAF Valley on Anglesey, from 2010 to 2013, piloting Sea King helicopters with the Search and Rescue team. The UK lost those specific assets when the Sea King was withdrawn, he noted. To address the shortage, the UK government announced plans to equip RAF Chinook helicopters and A400M aircraft for future firefighting. Promises to strengthen preparedness also followed a separate Welsh government wildfire summit.
At Maesteg fire station, Aled Bound manages the crew and serves as a retained on-call firefighter at Treorchy. He told the Prince that he and his colleagues had faced their toughest wildfire season, which had taken a mental and physical toll.
"I've never had to take so much water up a mountain to put on a fire and still come back the next day because that fire has relit, because it's so deep-seated."
With climate change, the severity of the season could well be a sign of what is to come, Bound warned. Local residents also faced significant stress during the incident. Kath Edwards, managing director of the charity Valleys Kids, said she genuinely thought they were going to lose the community centre. She feared people in the area were going to lose their homes.
"I genuinely thought we were going to lose the centre - but more importantly people were going to lose their homes."
Volunteers staffed the community centre around the clock from Saturday evening, when the fire began, until the following Thursday. They aimed to provide whatever service they could to those affected. The fire’s unprecedented scale turned the centre into a coordination base for the firefighting operation. It offered a place to rest and regroup, and drew people who wanted to show support. Businesses donated food, with 40 pizzas arriving within the first 20 minutes. There were regular visits, too, from an ice cream van.
- AugustMajor incident declared
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service responds to 14 wildfires simultaneously.
- Saturday eveningCommunity centre opens
Volunteers keep Valleys Kids centre open 24 hours a day to support residents.
- Following ThursdayCentre closes
Volunteers end round-the-clock service after days of supporting the community.
- OctoberRoyal visit
Prince William visits Treherbert to thank firefighters and volunteers.
Edwards praised the community for pulling together to make a difference from something quite horrific. Communities in the south Wales valleys were already experiencing multiple effects of climate change, she warned. She cited floods, fires and moving coal tips as existing challenges. The hillside just metres away from the community centre where William met crews remains burnt black from the fire.
