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An investigation has been launched into the cause of a huge wildfire which saw families evacuated from their homes.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service have said that the massive mountain blaze above Blaenau Ffestiniog is now largely out after starting on Monday evening, and they are now investigating how the fire started.

Another mountain blaze which started on Tuesday afternoon on land above Beddgelert is still ongoing, with one fire crew from Caernarfon still at the scene.

The fire at Craig y Llan has been raging all night, with police warning motorists that there were visibility issues for motorists on the A498 between Beddgelert and Aberglaslyn due to the smoke from the blaze.

(Image: Chris McPhail)

The fire service say the cause of this blaze is also being probed.

Mike Plant, from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: "This is a very visual mountainside fire, and understandably locals and visitors to the area are concerned.

"I’d like to reassure those concerned that we remain at the scene monitoring and dealing with the fire. The cause of the fire is unknown at present.

"However, during drier periods, fires involving grass, bracken and heather can develop very quickly, particularly in raised winds, resulting in fires getting out of control and spreading to neighbouring properties or forestry, with the need for the fire and rescue service to be called out to extinguish them."

(Image: North Wales Live / Arwyn Roberts)

He added: "We are urging visitors to the countryside to take extra care when they are out and about and reduce the risk of fire.

"Make sure that any smoking materials are discarded and extinguished properly.

"If you are out camping, make sure you have permission to light camp fire and barbecues and they are fully extinguished following their use.

(Image: Alan Pollard)

“I’d also like to thank our firefighters who are working in challenging conditions and their employers for releasing them from work.

“We ask people to keep well away from the area affected to allow firefighters to continue to deal with the incident, and for their own safety.”

A fire service spokesman added that firefighters went to the Blaenau Ffestiniog fire this morning to check on it, and decided that it was now largely out.

They said last night that, while they were aware of small fires on the very top of the mountain, people should only call them if flames begin to approach buildings.

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At its height, around 20 properties had to be evacuated and the A470 had to be closed to traffic while fire crews battled to bring the blaze under control.

Witnesses spoke of the blaze being "like a volcano" as huge flames rose from the mountainside and began approaching buildings.

(Image: UGC)

Fire crews from across North Wales worked through the night to bring the fire back under control.

Kevin Jones, community safety manager for the fire service, said: "Whereas the number of incidents is relatively small, each has the potential to tie up resources and prevent us from attending other life threatening incidents."