A South Wales blogger has rallied her online community to raise more than £2,000 in just two days to support firefighters working in gruelling conditions as dozens of wildfires burn across the region.
Ellie Johnson, known to thousands of followers on social media as Famous Girl From The Valleys, launched the fundraising effort as fire crews faced an extraordinary surge in incidents during the latest spell of exceptionally hot, dry weather.
Her appeal has quickly gathered momentum, passing the £2,000 mark within 48 hours as people across South Wales responded to images and reports of firefighters working for hours in extreme heat and difficult terrain.
The fundraiser comes as South Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed crews had responded to more than 30 wildfires in a single day, with several major incidents demanding substantial resources and support from partner organisations.
Significant fires have been reported in communities including Porth, Blaenavon, Merthyr Tydfil, Mountain Ash, Rudry and Newport, with some residents evacuated as flames threatened homes – sadly 5 homes in Caerphilly were lost to the fire completely yesterday.
Online Community Rallies Behind Fire Crews
Ellie, who has built a substantial following through her candid and humorous social media content about her life in the South Wales Valleys, decided to use her platform to help those on the frontline.
The response from her followers and the wider community has been rapid, with the total raised climbing beyond £2,000 in only two days.
The fundraising effort comes amid reports highlighting the extremely demanding conditions facing firefighters.
Ellie said:
“I drove round all day yesterday dropping off snacks and water, and a group of us have met at Tescos at 6am to buy more supplies. The support from my followers and the community has been immense – we’ve brought water, energy drinks, protein bars so we can help them keep going.
“We are doing shops and taking them directly to the fire crews on the front line.
“15 shops done already, I haven’t worked out the money of what’s been spent as of yet because truth be told it’s been chaotic but I have every receipt and will sort out after and see what’s left. If I’ve spent more than what was raised I’ll cover the difference. If we raise more, more shops will be done.“The fact that yesterday I put up a post and it hit over £2000 is incredible.. thank you for every donation.“I’ve spoken with the fire fighters and they are exhausted but very very grateful. More fires have started and whilst the food won’t help put them out it will give them a little more energy to keep going.”
“This is about community coming together and if it wasn’t for you lot we wouldn’t have been able to do half of it.
“To the women who showed up to help me shop and deliver parcels… THANK YOU!
Fire Brigades Union executive council member for Wales Gareth Tovey told WalesOnline that some crews had been working gruelling 11-hour shifts while tackling the fires.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service Deputy Chief Fire Officer Adam Openshaw said crews had been working “tirelessly” during what has become a prolonged period of intense wildfire activity.
He said the exceptionally dry, hot and windy conditions were creating an extremely high risk of fires spreading, placing considerable pressure on resources. The service has been working alongside police, local authorities, health partners, Natural Resources Wales, the Welsh Government and utility companies.
Ellie said that many of the firefighters they spoke to, many of whom have come from across the UK to lend their support, were really thankful for the support. She said:
“One firefighter, who had come down from the Midlands to support the efforts, said we are ‘lush people down here’ and explained they’d even had people throwing bricks at them while fighting fires nearer to home!”
Communities Show Their Support
Ellie’s fundraising campaign is another example of communities across the Valleys stepping forward to support emergency workers during the crisis.
While firefighters continue to tackle active incidents and monitor affected areas, residents have also been urged to do everything possible to prevent further fires from starting.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service has asked people not to light campfires or barbecues in the countryside, to dispose of cigarettes responsibly and to take litter home, particularly glass bottles and other reflective materials.
Anyone spotting a new wildfire where property is at risk should call 999, while deliberate fire-setting should be reported to police.
The service has also urged people to stay away from affected areas and warned that drones must not be flown near wildfire incidents because they can interfere with emergency operations.
With crews continuing to face challenging conditions across South Wales, the rapid response to Ellie Johnson’s appeal demonstrates the strength of public support for the firefighters working to protect homes, communities and countryside across the region for yet another day.
Image Credit: Ellie Johnson