Caution urged as boulders fall from Rhigos Mountain onto road following fire

People are being told not to access the Rhigos Mountain road near Treherbert as boulders are falling onto the roadside.

The road has been closed after a fire broke out on the mountain, with flames melting fencing.

Rhondda Cynon Taff Council says it has received reports of people running and cycling over the mountain and is urging all road users to refrain from using it.

It says specialist rope access crews will be working on the mountain and that options to reopen the Maerdy Mountain road are being considered.

Fire crews spent the weekend tackling fires across Wales, as temperatures reached above 30°C in some parts of the country.

Firefighters are continuing to tackle a fire at an industrial estate near Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire, which broke out on Sunday afternoon and is expected to take "a few days" to extinguish.

The incident is said to have begun at a storage unit but then spread to a recycling centre.

The fire on the Rhigos Mountain required support from helicopters to drop water onto the blaze from the skies.

Following the heatwave, there are now concerns for flash floods and thunderstorms across the UK, with a yellow weather warning in place for parts of the country.

Simon Williams, RAC’s road safety expert, said: “When roads or conditions have been so dry, flash floods are going to appear and cause a danger to drivers.

There’s a risk of aquaplaning as the water won’t drain away quite as quickly. The risk of slipping and sliding is also greater.

“Make sure you’ve got good tread on your tyres and they’re properly inflated, because the tread is the only thing that keeps you in contact with the road. Also, leave plenty of space between your car and the car in front.”

Fresher conditions are expected to spread across the UK from late Wednesday, after scorching temperatures over the weekend were quickly followed by heavy downpours and ongoing humidity.