Major incident declared as mountain wildfire evacuates residents

A mountain wildfire that has forced people in a rural community to evacuate their homes has been declared a major incident.

Firefighters have been tackling the blaze on Conwy Mountain and the Sychnant Pass in Conwy county since Sunday morning.

They were working in "challenging conditions" on Sunday afternoon in order to contain the fire and protect local communities, said Jami Jennings, from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

"Due to the size and complexity of the incident, operations are expected to continue for some time," Jennings said.

The fire service has urged people to avoid the area to allow emergency services to carry out their work, and to follow road closures or safety instruction issued by emergency services.

Residents in nearby communities have also been told to keep windows and doors closed.

"Wildfires can spread rapidly, particularly during periods of hot, dry and windy weather," Jennings said.

"We continue to ask everyone to act responsibly by avoiding the use of disposable barbecues, ensuring cigarettes are fully extinguished and reporting any signs of fire immediately by calling 999."

Penmaenmawr town council advised householders at Capelulo, particularly those around the Fairy Glen public house, to "leave safely and follow the instructions of the emergency services on scene".

The Gladstone Inn has been deemed a place of safety for evacuees and those unable to return to their homes.

Penmaenmawr Golf Club, previously the place for safety, has been closed due to the fire.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said it was alerted to the fire in the early hours, and local resident Rita Raweily said she was woken early this morning to the sound of her dog "barking wildly".

"I got ready, threw some clothes on and went to see if there was anything I could do to help," she added.

Raweily said there was a smell of burning in the air that got worse as the wind picked up and the area was "really smoky".

"That whole area near the house is an evacuation zone and we don't know when we are going home," she said.

"But that's fine because we are safe."

Raweily said she had "no idea" what condition her house is in but she hoped "all will be well".

"I don't think we are getting back in the house tonight. It is really worrying," she added.

One person had been taken to hospital so far, she said, but "everyone is safe".

Raweily, a volunteer community coordinator, advised people to follow the instructions provided by the emergency services who have been "brilliant", according to Raweily.

"Houses can be replaced, people can't," she said.

It comes as most of Wales is deemed to be of "very high risk" of wildfires in the coming days.

Forecasters have said parts of the country will remain extremely hot and dry in the coming days as the country swelters in the third heatwave of the year.

Dave Swallow, from the National Fire Chiefs Council, warned that such conditions "significantly increase wildfire risk", reminding people that "we all have a role to play".

"Summer should be a time for people to enjoy the outdoors but it's important not to underestimate the risks," he said.

"Every year we see devastating wildfires and tragic drownings in inland water."

Swallow urged people to "enjoy the warmer weather safely" and "look out for one another".

The Met Office has warned people planning to enjoy the water this weekend to be careful and check the water temperature to avoid cold water shocks.