No fires, no barbecues: wildfire risk is high across Wales this weekend

Anyone heading for a Welsh hillside, forest or reserve this bank holiday weekend walks in under a warning. Natural Resources Wales is carrying a high wildfire risk notice across its site: do not light fires or barbecues in the countryside. The agency says it only takes one stray spark or a discarded glass bottle to start a fire that destroys habitats and wildlife in hours.

The advice for visitors is short and blunt. Never light fires in the countryside. Go for a picnic instead of a barbecue. Take all litter home, especially glass bottles. Avoid discarding cigarettes or matches. And report any sign of fire or suspicious activity immediately by calling 999.

NRW looks after woodlands and National Nature Reserves across Wales, and reminds visitors that mobile signal is unreliable at many rural sites: check the page for the woodland or reserve before setting off, tell someone where you are going, and carry a charged phone.