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Story summary
- South Wales Fire and Rescue Service requested military aid on Aug 14-16 2026, deploying 100 troops—Gurkhas and Royal Engineers—in the first UK wildfire deployment since 2018.
- Authorities ordered evacuations in Porth, Merthyr Tydfil, Llandovery, Torfaen and Caerphilly, destroying five homes.
- A Friday alert warned of high wildfire risk, prompting the UK Government to ban barbecues.
- Blogger Ellie Johnson raised £2,000 to supply water and snacks for firefighters on 10- to 11-hour shifts.
