The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) has confirmed that firefighters are continuing to deal with wildfires.
The service’s regional control room received 330 calls yesterday (Tuesday, April 8), with 41 of the 147 calls mobilised involving wildfires.
“Firefighters continued to respond to wildfire incidents overnight and attend other emergency calls across Northern Ireland,” a spokesperson for NIFRS said.
Firefighters
At the height of a wildfire in the White Bridge area of Ballygawley, Co. Tyrone, fire fire appliances with 40 firefighters tackled the blaze. NIFRS said that four fire appliances remain at the scene today.
“Please stay away from the area while firefighting operations are taking place and adhere to road closures.
“Yesterday evening, firefighters were called to reports of gorse on fire on Black Mountain at 7:22pm. Five fire appliances and over 35 Firefighters battling a 120m fire front.
“A yellow warning for wildfires remains in place. Please follow our fire safety advice and stay vigilant to the risk of fire in the countryside. if you see a fire, please call 999 immediately,” the spokesperson said.
A wildfire in the Bloody Bridge area of the Mourne Mountains was brought under control yesterday.
More than 75 firefighters were involved in tackling a fire front of 2 miles. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
While 16 firefighters were called to another fire close to Bloody Bridge on the Slieve Bearnagh area of the Mourne Mountains.
Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir has described the weekend’s wildfires as “abhorrent”.
During a visit to the Mourne Mountains, the minister thanked the NIFRS, Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and others for their ongoing efforts in difficult conditions.
Last weekend, almost 150 separate fires were reported in the mountain range and a major incident was declared by NIFRS.
Minister Muir also urged all landowners to refrain from any prescribed burning in the remaining open season window, which ends on April 14.
