A frightened teenager recounted the harrowing experience when a large wildfire approached dangerously close to her family’s residence.

Elvie Drinkwater, aged 16, was one of the inhabitants instructed to evacuate their houses in Capelulo, Conwy, following the declaration of a major incident due to a rapidly spreading wildfire on Conwy Mountain in Wales. Elvie vividly remembered the tense moments before they evacuated, mentioning how she could sense and smell the approaching wildfire even though the flames were not visible.

Describing the experience, she said, “You could hear it, you could smell it, but you couldn’t see it. It sounded like cracking, like popcorn in the microwave… crunching.”

The police had advised Elvie’s family on Sunday morning to gather essential items in case the grass fire encroached upon their locality. The family hastily left, uncertain if they would ever return home.

Initially, the GCSE student believed the fire was too distant to pose a threat to their home and later felt regretful for not being better prepared to evacuate quickly. She expressed her feelings, saying, “Knowing that there’s like so many things I want to bring with me, and I just can’t go back. Then there’s that fear, not knowing if I’m coming back. Is my house still going to be there? How long am I going to be away for?”

After enduring hours of uncertainty, the family received news that their home had been spared from the flames. However, it took an additional two days before Elvie, her mother, and her partner were permitted to return. Their dog, Marley, had to stay elsewhere during the evacuation as pets were not allowed at the temporary accommodation.

Despite the terrifying experience, Elvie expressed confidence in the firefighters managing the situation, stating, “The firefighters did have a good handle on the situation.”

Upon returning home, the sight of charred fields and trees was heart-wrenching for Elvie. She remarked, “It was really sad driving down the pass and seeing all the devastation. We moved here in 2021, and we did choose this house because of all the natural beauty, everything surrounding us, and now it’s all gone. Heather takes about 10 years to come back, so it’ll be a long time, but it will come back.”

Although the major incident in Conwy has been resolved, firefighters were still combatting multiple active fires on Tuesday evening.