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 near Conwy Mountain and the Sychnant Pass in Conwy county since Sunday morning.

They were working in "challenging conditions" 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."

A huge blanket of smoke covered the sky for miles around Penmaenmawr on Sunday afternoon, with the air so thick you could feel it in your throat.

At The Gladstone Inn, where those evacuated were staying, residents were calm but worried, knowing their homes had likely suffered smoke damage. Several people said they did not expect to go home on Sunday night.