Update: 10.35pm

Update: 10.30pm

 

Update: 10.24pm

Update: 10.20pm

More than 30 firefighters are tackling a 140 hectares blaze of mature trees and bracken on Wattsville mountain.

Six fire engines, as well as a water bowser, are at the scene right now.

A South Wales Fire Service spokesman said: "It's a substantial fire.

"The wind is making it difficult for the firefighters who are trying to deal with it.

"There are six crews of five firefighters, three fire officers and two firefighters on the water bowser."

 

Update: 10.07pm

More pictures of the Wattsville grass fire currently being tackled by six fire engines.

Update: 10.04pm

@Jenko6 sent us these incredible pictures of the fire on Wattsville mountain

Update: 9.55pm

Approx 100 hectares of pine trees and bracken are well alight at Wattsville, with two appliances situated to protect nearby properties.

Update: 9.45pm

Six fire engines have now been requested to fight a wildfire in Wattsville.

Firefighters from Risca, Duffryn, Aberbargoed, two from Caerphilly and New Inn are attending attending the scene.

A South Wales Fire Service spokesman said they had recieved dozens of calls about the fire at Wattsville.

Linda Jefferies took this photo of the blaze.

Update: 9.18pm

Fire crews are tackling a grass fire of approximately 400m squared of trees and bracken, described as 'well alight', at Wattsville near Tatasteel Blackvein industrial estate.

Risca fire crew were first called to the scene at 8.56pm

They have now requested a second fire engine to help tackle the blaze.

Here's a round-up of fires around South Wales

Abertillery crew are attending a grass fire in Roseheyworth first reported at 9.07pm.

Caerphilly crew are on their way to a report of a bonfire in Llanbradach received at 8.57pm.

Malpas crew are attending grass on fire in Llanwern Village Newport received at 8.53pm.

Hirwaun crew are attending trees on fire in Penywaun Aberdare received at 8.48pm.

Abersychan crew are attending a mountain fire at The British Talywain received at 8.39pm.

 

Upate: 8.25pm

South Wales Fire Service have been called to a number of grass fires across Newport tonight.

Fire crews from New Inn were called to a deliberately lit grass fire in Thornhill Cwmbran at 6.29pm.

Crews extinguished the fire using grass beaters and left the scene at 6.53pm.

Fire crews are also tackling a grass fire near the ski slope at Pontypool Park.

They were called to the scene at 7.55pm and are using grass beaters to put out the blaze.

Fire crews from Duffryn were called to a grass fire in Woodside in Newport at 7.35pm. They have since extinguished the blaze and left the scene at 7.42pm.

Fire crews from Caerphilly crew are attending a fencing on fire in Trethomas.

They were called at 7.33pm and are still in attendance.

Upate: 7.11pm

South Wales Argus:

South Wales Police has warned that anyone caught deliberately starting grass fires will face being arrested.

Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Richard Lewis said police had taken "robust action" in arresting those responsible for starting grass fires, and warned others not to be tempted to start grass fires themselves.

He added: "We are focused on prevention of grass fires. We do not want young people to be criminalised and risk their futures through a lack of knowledge.

"We are actively working with partners and the community to better understand why people set grass fires to prevent them in future."

 

Update: 6.35pm

Update: 5.30pm

Trebanog mountain has become the 730th grass fire in South Wales alone this year since April 1.

Andy Davies tweeted this picture of the scene right now, while John Gwilliam tweeted these pictures earlier today.

Update: 4.20pm

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service has thanked the public for their support as they deal with deliberate grass fires.

They said deliberate grass fires are "extremely difficult and challenging to fight" and that they had invested in state of the art kit and equipment to deal with them.

Chief Fire Officer Huw Jakeway urges the public to “not to put themselves in harm’s way by tackling these fires”. He thanks the public for their support but urges them to stay safe.

A spokesman added: "If you have any information about someone who may have deliberately set a fire or see suspicious activity, then please report it to 101, our Fire Crime Unit on 0800 731 7287 or Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111."

 

Update: 3.40pm

Two fire crews are currently fighting a three hectare wildfire involving grass and bracken well alight at Hartridge Farm Road in Newport.

Firefighters are using beaters to tackle the blaze.

The grass fire was first reported at 2.32.

A South Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said they were not dealing with any other grass fires at the moment in the Newport area.

 

Update: 2.50pm

A South Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said they dealt with 61 grass fires yesterday, with all of them started deliberately.

"It's got to stop," they added.

 

Update: 2.40pm

Here's a picture of some of the devastation caused by grass fires on Caerphilly mountain

 

FIREFIGHTERS tackled a series of grass fires across Gwent last night.

There were 16 grass fires in Newport including a grass fire in Duffryn woods at around 7.22pm last night. Crews from Cwmbran attended.

There was also a grass fire on Sorrel Drive in Newport which Malpas fire crew attended at 7.22pm. They left the scene at 7.59pm.

Maindee fire crew also attended to fencing on fire in a lane on Ifton Place, Liswerry at 7.48pm.

There was six grass fires in Caerphilly, three in Blaenau Gwent, two in Monmouthshire and one in Torfaen.