DRONE surveys have shown the extent of the damage caused by the Llantysilio mountain blaze that raged for more than four weeks.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has revealed that 247 hectares - the size of about 247 rugby pitches - has been burnt on the mountain with little vegetation left, following a drone survey of the area.

The blaze started on July 11 and North Wales Fire and Rescue Service (NWTRS) did not confirm it was "scaling down" its resources until August 17. Firefighters have since maintained a presence at the scene to manage hotspots as they appear.

The mountain is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest because of its heather moorland habitats, which are home to upland breeding birds and rare birds such as the black grouse and curlew.

The area also provides grazing areas for farmers and is popular with walkers.

NRW has been criticised alongside NWTRS and Denbighshire Countryside Services (DCS) for its handling of the fire, as residents and business owners said offers for emergency support from nearby farmers that could have extinguished the fire within 10 days of its ignition were turned down by the authorities.

During the fire, NRW and NWTFRS and DCS worked to cut back vegetation and create fire breaks to try and stop the fire spreading, however the timing of their response is in question and will be analysed at a pending scrutiny committee.

Nick Thomas, operations manager for North East Wales, Natural Resources Wales, said: “Mynydd Llantysilio is really important to both people and wildlife and over the last five years we have worked with Denbighshire County Council, local farmers and others to improve the vegetation for wildlife and grazing.

“The thin mineral soil is normally covered by heathland vegetation like heather, bilberry and gorse.

“There are also some pockets of deeper peat that have been particularly badly affected by the fire. In places it has been completely burnt away, exposing a sandy sub-soil and rock.

“We anticipate that some heathland plants will grow back from roots that have survived the fire or from the seeds. However, the peatland areas are likely to take much longer to re-vegetate and some areas may not recover naturally.”

During the autumn, NRW said it will work with partners to fully assess the damage and plan what needs to be done to try to restore the Mountain to its former glory. The environmental conservation authority said it will also be working with the other authorities involved in managing the fire to carry out a review of their response.