Firefighters and helicopter on second day of tackling huge Mynydd Mawr fire

A helicopter has been brought in to help fire and rescue services on their second day of tackling a huge mountain fire on the outskirts of Caernarfon.

Jeff Hall, of North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said that the fire began as "either a controlled burn or a deliberate ignition" that had "got out of control."

Crews from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service are today continuing to use "massive resources" to fight the blaze on Mynydd Mawr, near Y Fron village in Gwynedd, which they first attended on Wednesday.

Jeff Hall said: "This places a massive drain on our resources.

I implore the people of North Wales – Think about any burns that you may be creating and even if you believe are controlled, you need a controlled burn plan in place to ensure that you can deal with it and it doesn’t get out of hand."

Please think about the environment and the wildlife that we have around us.”

The service had previously urged residents in Y Fron, Rhosgadfan and Rhostryfan to keep windows and doors closed due to the smoke.

In a statement, the service said: "Burning of heather, grass, bracken and gorse is permitted up until the 15 March (or up to 31 March in upland areas) but you must have a Burn Plan in place to ensure they are burning safely.

"It is against the law to burn outside of the burning season and can result in penalties of up to £1,000.

"Deliberately setting fire to our countryside is not only a crime, for which you can be prosecuted, but it also places unnecessary pressure on front line services and puts our communities in harm's way."

Anyone who comes across "suspicious activity" in the countryside is urged to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or ring 101.

If it is an emergency, always call 999.