Four 14-year-old boys arrested on suspicion of arson after South Wales fire
The teenagers have since been bailed under investigation
Last updated 15 hours ago
Four 14-year-old boys have been arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire was set on a mountain in South Wales.
Officers are investigating a “deliberate fire” that was set on the mountain near Pleasant Heights in Porth, South Wales Police said.
The teenagers have since been bailed under investigation, the force added.
In an update on Facebook, Detective Inspector Steve Jones said:
“These incidents put communities at risk, can impact people’s health, threaten wildlife, and divert emergency resources away from people who need us.
“Deliberately starting fires is a criminal offence. If you see suspicious behaviour or have information about deliberate fire-setting, please report it to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or the police by calling 101.”
On Friday (14 August 2026), Prime Minister Andy Burnham described Britain as “a tinderbox right now” with “37 fires smouldering around the country”.
In a large area across South Wales, around 100 military personnel from the Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment, supported by the 22 Engineer Regiment, were deployed to assist in rescue and recovery efforts.
Among their equipment are four water bowsers, each capable of storing and transporting 20,000 litres of water.
Meanwhile, fire crews are tackling blazes across Wales as the UK government issued a nationwide wildfire alert on Friday (14 August 2026).
People across England and Wales are being reminded not to light anything that could spark wildfires in the hot conditions.