This afternoon, I welcomed the opportunity to attend a COBR meeting on the current conditions and the impact of wildfires affecting many parts of Wales and across the UK. I sought assurance from UK Government counterparts that National Resilience mutual aid arrangements will continue to prioritise support to wildfire-affected areas, particularly should conditions worsen over the next 48 hours.
I also confirmed that I will convene a multi-agency summit in Wales to strengthen wildfire prevention and resilience, and will share the outcomes with partners across the UK. Continued Welsh involvement in UK-wide resilience planning is crucial as we learn lessons, including consideration of specialist capabilities such as helicopters and support from the Ministry of Defence and RAF where appropriate.
Earlier today, the Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, Siân Gwenllian, spoke to the Chief Fire Officer for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Fin Monahan, and passed on her thanks to firefighters and support staff involved in tackling this major incident. I also want to thank our emergency services, local authorities and all those working tirelessly to keep communities safe during this period of severe weather.
These conditions require all of us to play our part and stay safe. I would urge everybody to please continue to follow any advice from the fire service and local authorities, and especially to avoid any activity that could risk further fires.