Smoke from mountain wildfire the size of 120 football pitches smelled 30 miles away
Smoke from a raging mountain wildfire the size of 120 football pitches has been smelled 30 miles away in Cardiff.
The blaze broke out on Mynydd Garnclochdy between Abersychan and Blaenavon in Torfaen on Sunday evening.
More than 40 firefighters are tackling the wildfire on two fronts across 80 hectares of common and pasture land, and a number of properties in the path of the fire are being protected.
The blaze is generating a very large amount of smoke, and South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said it had received numerous calls about the incident from as far away as Caerphilly and Cardiff.
The BBC's reporter at the scene said he could "taste the smoke", adding it was "acrid in the air".
Gillian Sims, 66 who has lived in Talywain near Abersychan for 40 years, said she is concerned for her family's health because of the smoke.
She said it had not been this bad since a huge fire in the 1970s.
"I had grandchildren down with me earlier. You don't really want them out playing in it because it's so strong", she said.
"My daughter lives down in Cwmbran and she can smell it", she said.
"My partner's got COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], and anyone with any sort of asthma or anything I would recommend not going out", she said.
Lee, who was shopping in nearby Varteg, said he was going to take his young son to the doctor because he woke up coughing with the smoke.
"My house is stinking of smoke, it's going to take ages to get it out," he said.
On Tuesday, there were six fire appliances at the scene along with specialist 4x4 vehicles and quadbikes.
The fire was being fought with beaters, knapsack water sprays and leaf blowers.
Erika Lomas
People living nearby have been advised to keep their windows and doors closed.
Crews were working in challenging conditions due to the terrain, access and the wind conditions, the fire service added.
The "heel" of the fire has now been extinguished but the incident was expected to be ongoing throughout the day.
