POLICE are treating the cause of a large forest fire at Rhos, Llandysul as ‘suspicious’.

An investigation has been launched by Dyfed-Powys Police into the cause of the blaze which has destroyed around 200 hectares of spruce trees and grassland.

Fire crews from Llandysul, Newcastle Emlyn, Carmarthen, New Quay and Tumble were called in to tackle the blaze, which broke out in the tinder-dry conditions on Sunday evening at 8.57pm.

At one stage, a helicopter was deployed to assist the firefighting effort and smoke from the fire could be seen for miles around the Teifi Valley.

A Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said today (Wednesday, June 3): “The main fire has been extinguished, However, due to the dry conditions, there are a number of local hotspots that remain.

“A crew from Llandysul is still currently at the scene damping down hotspots and inspecting the area.”

Posting on the Dyfed-Powys rural crime team site, police said: “Understandably, this has caused significant concerns within the community, especially among farmers in that locality who are concerned that the spread of fire may damage vital grazing land, damage property etc.

“These types of fires have huge environmental impact especially as it’s a vital time of year for breeding animals and other wildlife.

“We are urging the public to be vigilant during the hot weather where the risk of fire is increased.

“If anyone has any information about this fire, please contact police or the arson reduction team on 01792 705130 or email arson.reduction@mawwfire.gov.uk”