Late in the day on Monday, June 10th, WTSWW Reserves Manager Paul Thornton received an urgent alert: a gorse fire had broken out on Overton Cliff Nature Reserve, Gower. The Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) spent three critical hours containing the wildfire, working tirelessly to prevent it from spreading further and causing irreparable damage to the area's vital ecological habitats. The fire is believed to have been started by the careless disposal of a barbecue.

Approximately one acre of coastal heath and limestone grassland vegetation was destroyed in the blaze. The full impact on nesting birds and reptile populations remains unknown, but the fire came perilously close to areas known for the scarce Silky wave moth.

This moth is part of the Natur am Byth project, where partner organizations collaborate to enhance the resilience of vulnerable species populations.

Paul Thornton shared his concerns about managing the reserves on the south Gower coast, “Over the last five or so years, we have made huge progress in restoring these habitats to good condition. A combination of mechanical intervention and grazing livestock has resulted in a more open, diverse habitat with a mosaic of vegetation types, rather than even-aged blocks of gorse. It was devastating to see the fire, which started in an area that would have been inaccessible before our vegetation management efforts. We encourage people to visit and enjoy our wild places, but I urge them to help us by sticking to the Wales Coast Path and other public rights of way that cross our land. Please think about the consequences of barbecues, fires, and other activities on our reserves.”

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the local firefighters in Reynoldston for their heroic efforts. The fire station is currently recruiting on-call firefighters.

For more information, please contact the station directly.