Some 50 firefighters from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) are continuing to battle a blaze on the Mourne Mountains in Co. Down today (Tuesday, April 28).
Yesterday saw some 90 firefighters tackling two fires in the mountains, one in the Ballagh Road, Newcastle area and another at Sandbank Road, Hilltown.
The former fire has now been brought under control, but the latter is still ongoing, covering a fire front of some 500m.
In a statement today, a spokesperson for the NIFRS said: “The wildfire in the Ballagh Road of the Mourne Mountains has now been dealt with.
“The initial call was received at 6:44p.m on Saturday, April 25,” the spokesperson said, saying that that fire covered around 1,000ha.
According to the NIFRS, the cause of the fire is “believed to be deliberate ignition”. The fire was dealt with by 10:08a.m this morning.
The NIFRS spokesperson added: “Firefighters are continuing to work tirelessly at the Sandbank Road, Hilltown wildfire incident. Approximately 50 firefighters are in attendance battling a fire front of over 500m.
“Firefighting operations will continue today so we ask the public to avoid this area,” the spokesperson said.
A warning for potential fire is still in place in Northern Ireland, and the NIFRS has appealed to the public to adhere to its fire safety advice.
“Please stay vigilant to fire in the countryside. If you see a fire, call 999 immediately,” the fire service said.
The NIFRS has asked people to adhere to the following advice:
- Avoid using open fires in the countryside, as an open fire can easily get out of control;
- Extinguish cigarettes and other smoking materials properly and don’t throw cigarette ends on the ground or out of car windows;
- Only use barbeques in a suitable and safe area and never leave them unattended;
- Ensure barbeques are fully extinguished and cold before disposing of their contents;
- Don’t leave bottles or glass in woodland or grassland;
- Be considerate in parking vehicles so you do not impede access for emergency vehicles;
- Keep children away from lighters, matches and open fires;
- Don’t attempt to tackle fires that can’t be extinguished with a bucket of water – leave the area as quickly as possible;
- If you see a fire in the countryside, report it to the fire service;
- If you see someone setting fires, report it to the police.