Major incident declared as crews tackle wildfires in Welsh beauty spot

A major incident has been declared as emergency services work to tackle a large wildfire in North Wales.

Firefighters have been on scene near Sychnant Pass on Conwy Mountain tackling the blaze since this morning (July 12).

Nearby residents are being evacuated by North Wales Police, reports say.

Service Delivery Manager Jami Jennings, of North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Firefighters remain on scene working in challenging conditions to contain the fire and protect surrounding communities, property, infrastructure and the environment.

“The incident involves a co-ordinated response from multiple fire appliances, specialist wildfire resources and partner agencies. Due to the size and complexity of the incident, operations are expected to continue for some time.

“We would ask members of the public to avoid the affected area to allow emergency services to work safely and efficiently.”

It comes after experts warned that parts of the UK are at “exceptional” risk of wildfires as the heatwave continues.

Areas in southern England and the Midlands are highlighted as being at highest risk, according to Natural England.

The Met Office has said the scorching heatwave conditions experienced by much of the UK are due to last into the coming week, with most areas expected to stay dry, sunny and very hot.