MID AND WEST WALES FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE is urging residents and visitors to take extra care as extreme heat and prolonged dry conditions increase the risk of wildfires and water-related emergencies.

The warning follows the issuing of a red extreme heat alert for parts of Wales, with exceptionally high temperatures forecast and emergency services preparing for added pressure in the days ahead.

Fire chiefs say the hot, dry weather has left grassland and vegetation particularly vulnerable, meaning even a small spark could develop into a fast-moving countryside fire.

Aled Griffiths, Head of Community Safety for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: “With very high temperatures forecast across Wales this week, it’s important that we all take extra care to stay safe and reduce avoidable risks.

“We want everyone to enjoy the sunshine, but these conditions can increase the likelihood of incidents, including fires and water-related emergencies.

“Small actions can make a big difference, whether that’s using barbecues safely, disposing of smoking materials responsibly or taking extra care around open water.”

Barbecue and outdoor fire safety

Anyone using a barbecue is being advised to place it on a flat, non-combustible surface, well away from buildings, fences, dry grass and shrubs.

Barbecues should never be left unattended and must be completely extinguished and allowed to cool before ashes are disposed of.

The public is also being asked not to light campfires or other open fires, particularly in rural areas where dry vegetation can allow flames to spread rapidly.

Cigarettes, matches and glass bottles should never be discarded in the countryside.

The fire service has also reminded residents that burning grass or garden waste is prohibited at this time of year.

Open water warning

The hot weather is also expected to encourage more people to swim in lakes, rivers, reservoirs and other open water.

However, the fire service warned that water temperatures can remain dangerously cold even during periods of extreme heat.

Cold water shock can cause an involuntary gasp, rapid breathing, panic and a sudden loss of swimming ability, significantly increasing the risk of drowning.

People are advised never to jump or dive into unfamiliar water and not to enter open water after drinking alcohol.

Float to Live

Anyone who gets into difficulty in the water should:

• Tilt their head back, keeping their ears submerged
• Relax and try to breathe normally
• Move their hands and legs gently to remain afloat
• Avoid panicking if their legs begin to sink

Once breathing is under control, they should call for help or attempt to swim to safety.

The fire service recommends practising floating in a supervised environment, such as a swimming pool.

Phone, Float, Throw

Anyone who sees another person in difficulty should remain on land and follow the Phone, Float, Throw advice:

• Phone 999 and ask for the emergency services
• Encourage the person to remain calm and float on their back
• Throw rescue equipment or another floating object towards them

Members of the public should not enter the water themselves, as this can place both people in danger.

Further wildfire and water safety advice is available through Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service’s website and social media channels.

TENBY Lifeboats RNLI has presented a framed crew photograph to The Dennis Café on Castle Beach in recognition of the support it provides throughout the year.

The café has become a valued friend of the lifeboat station, regularly helping with crew social events and barbecues, as well as providing a convenient venue for meetings.

Members of the crew visited the café to hand over the photograph, which shows the Tenby lifeboat team gathered outside the town’s distinctive lifeboat station.

A spokesperson for Tenby Lifeboats RNLI said: “From crew socials and barbecues to providing us with a place for crew meetings, they have always got our backs.

“Thanks a lot. It’s much appreciated.”

The framed picture will now be displayed at the popular Castle Beach café as a lasting reminder of the close relationship between the business and Tenby’s volunteer lifeboat crew.

PHOTO: Tenby Lifeboats RNLI presents a framed crew photograph to The Dennis Café on Castle Beach.

MORE than half of older people in Wales have struggled with the cost of living during the past year, while one in six say they or a relative have experienced treatment in hospital corridors or other unsuitable spaces.

The findings are contained in Age Cymru’s seventh annual survey, which gathered responses from 1,448 people aged over 50 across all 22 Welsh local authority areas.

Respondents ranged in age from their early fifties to more than 100 years old.

The survey found that 52 per cent had found the cost of living challenging, up from 46 per cent in 2025 and just nine per cent when the survey began in 2020.

Fuel prices, water bills and council tax were among the main pressures reported.

More than a third of respondents said they had changed their lives to cope with rising costs. Of those, 52 per cent had reduced their use of energy or heating, around a third had cut their food spending and 30 per cent were socialising less.

Confidence about the coming year has also fallen. Just 53 per cent said they were confident they could meet their living costs over the next 12 months, dropping to 48 per cent among those living alone and 43 per cent among people with a disability.

Only six per cent of those surveyed were receiving Pension Credit, although the proportion claiming Attendance Allowance had more than doubled since last year.

Health concerns

Maintaining physical health was the most commonly reported challenge, affecting 53 per cent of respondents.

A third said their health had worsened during the past year, while only six per cent reported an improvement.

Almost half, 49 per cent, said it was difficult or very difficult to secure a GP appointment, and 23 per cent struggled to travel to hospital appointments.

For the first time, Age Cymru also asked respondents about “corridor care”, where patients wait for or receive treatment in hospital corridors, waiting rooms or other areas not designed for clinical care.

Seventeen per cent said they or someone close to them had experienced corridor care during the previous year.

Five per cent had experienced it personally, while 12 per cent were reporting the experiences of a relative or loved one.

The longest reported case lasted three weeks, with five people describing periods of at least seven days.

One respondent said a relative had been left sitting in a chair for four days in a corridor “packed with people being treated”, with one toilet shared between dozens of patients and no washing facilities.

Another said a dying relative waited 20 hours for an ambulance, spent a further 18 hours outside hospital in the ambulance and then almost a week in an A&E bed before being moved to a clinical decisions unit.

The patient was suffering from prostate cancer, lung cancer and end-stage heart failure.

Those who had experienced corridor care were also more likely to report serious health problems. Sixteen per cent described their physical health as very poor, compared with four per cent across the survey as a whole.

Almost three-quarters said their health was significantly worse than a year earlier.

Overnight waits in hospital chairs

Geoffrey, 79, from Conwy, cares for his wife, who has cancer and requires frequent hospital treatment.

He said the couple had visited A&E four times during the past year, with each visit involving waits of between six and 13 hours overnight.

He said: “My wife has cancer, which gives her constant pain. She works hard to get through the day. She cooks, tidies up and does a little gardening.

“I have Myasthenia Gravis, which does limit my activities. I do not have the same energy as before, but I work hard to try to keep well.”

He also criticised difficulties accessing NHS services by telephone, describing the 111 system as “hopeless” when automated options fail and callers are forced to begin again.

Marie, 76, from Denbighshire, said she had reduced her use of heating, electricity and water to manage rising costs.

She lives alone and said older people, particularly those aged over 75, were often made to feel “invisible”.

“Although I have very good friends and family, I miss the companionship of having a spouse,” she said.

Carers providing more support

The survey found that 29 per cent of older people were providing unpaid care for at least one person, with more than half saying their caring responsibilities had increased since last year.

Women accounted for 63 per cent of unpaid carers responding to the survey, while 77 per cent were aged 65 or over.

Only five per cent of those identifying themselves as carers were receiving Carer’s Allowance.

Access to social care showed some improvement, with 62 per cent of those seeking support saying they received the help they needed, compared with 52 per cent in 2025.

However, 46 per cent still said accessing support was difficult or very difficult, and 40 per cent were contributing towards the cost of their care.

Transport remained another major concern, particularly in rural and former industrial communities.

Almost a quarter of respondents blamed a lack of public transport for difficulties getting out and about, while 23 per cent cited the cost of travel.

Problems with bus services were reported in every Welsh local authority area.

Fall in optimism

Only a third of respondents said they felt optimistic about the coming year, down from 42 per cent in 2025.

Forty per cent said they were not optimistic, the highest level recorded since the survey began.

Age Cymru chief executive Victoria Lloyd said the findings presented a striking picture of the pressures facing older people.

She said: “It’s perhaps no surprise that cost of living and physical health are at the top of their concerns.

“This was the first year we asked respondents about corridor care, and the results are a stark image of the difficulties facing some of the most vulnerable people during some of their most challenging times.

“Respondents often said that frontline staff were doing all they could, but that the facilities were simply struggling to cope with the number of people needing care.”

There were some positive findings.

The proportion reporting loneliness or isolation fell to 16 per cent, while 19 per cent said their mental or emotional health had been a challenge, down from 26 per cent last year and 30 per cent in 2024.

Ms Lloyd warned that those improvements could be reversed unless the underlying pressures were addressed.

She said: “The fall in loneliness and improvements to mental health are real positives, but there is a real risk of losing these gains if we don’t address the fundamental issues of cost of living and physical health.

“By investing in the organisations and people working to make positive change, we can help people live longer with a better quality of life.”