Public footpaths around Capelulo remain partially closed after Conwy County Borough Council inspected areas damaged by last week’s major wildfire on Conwy Mountain, with several routes shut for public safety on 15 July. The closures came a day after new footage emerged showing the full scale of the devastation across the Penysychnant Nature Reserve upland.
Over four minutes of 4K trail running footage, filmed on Tuesday 14 July, captures the smouldering aftermath of the blaze that tore through the reserve, with blackened, ash-covered ground stretching for kilometres. The video contrasts the scorched earth with surviving patches of green and brown vegetation, before cutting to untouched footage of nearby Conwy Mountain, showing the area’s usual purple heather, trees, and grasses still intact.
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed crews remain on scene at both Conwy Mountain near Capelulo and the Rhinogydd mountain range, continuing to monitor and control the affected areas. In an update issued on 14 July, the service said: “We continue to have a presence at the fires at both Conwy Mountain near Capelulo, and at the Rhinogydd mountain range… Officers and crews will periodically be re-inspecting both sites. Please be aware that both fires are expected to continue smouldering and may produce smoke for several days”.
The service also urged the public to only make contact if they see visible flames or if smoke becomes excessive, while separately reminding people to take care with disposable barbecues and cigarettes given the heightened wildfire risk during the prolonged dry spell. The fire, which broke out on Sunday 12 July, was declared a major incident and affected an estimated 230 acres, forcing the evacuation of homes in Capelulo before crews brought it under control.
Pensychnant Conservation Centre, whose reserve backs directly onto the affected land, described the blaze as the worst in its long history of documented fires. In an account published shortly after the fire, the centre’s warden wrote: “Even the soil has burned, leaving a dusty black moonscape… All vegetation has been erased. It will take decades before it is heathery again. Will the cuckoo come next spring?”.
The footage also documents infrastructure damage across the burnt upland, showing several scorched power line poles still standing, with one having collapsed just over a small crest and dropped live-looking cables across the North Wales Path. The hazard forced a detour down a steep, ash-covered embankment to avoid the fallen lines.
Despite the scale of the destruction, Pensychnant’s warden praised the response from fire crews, noting that up to 13 fire tenders, roughly half of the region’s usual fleet, attended overnight, with some firefighters working from 6am to 9pm before returning at 3am the following morning. “To say that the firecrews were fantastic sounds trite and inadequate, but they were FANTASTIC,” the warden added.
The area remains in a monitoring phase, with fire crews periodically re-inspecting hotspots that are expected to keep smouldering and producing smoke for several days. Anyone walking or running in the area is advised to stick to marked, open footpaths and avoid any sections still closed by the council following its safety inspection.
