Firefighters braced for more wildfires in Northern Ireland as temperatures rise

Firefighters in Northern Ireland are braced for further wildfires having already tackled almost 150 blazes in three days.

Commanders at the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service have said the majority of the fires were started deliberately.

Area commander David Harbinson said an amber wildfire warning would remain in place until the end of the week, with the forecast for increasing temperatures in the region heightening concerns of further ignitions.

“We are anticipating that we could be busy and that’s down to the dry weather continuing,” said Mr Harbinson.

“I think later on in the week the temperatures are due to increase. With the temperature increases, then there is a greater risk. But what also happens with the temperature increase then is that makes the conditions for firefighters more arduous.”

The 146 wildfires responded to from Friday to Sunday included a huge blaze in the Hilltown area near the Mourne Mountains in Co Down, which fire commanders described as one of the most significant they have had to deal with in years.

A major incident was declared as firefighters tried to contain the fire.

At the height of operations, 15 fire appliances and more than 100 firefighters worked in difficult conditions and high winds throughout Saturday evening and into the early hours of Sunday to tackle the gorse fire.

As a precaution a number of residents were evacuated from their homes on the Sandbank and Kilbroney roads while the fire was brought under control.

A 25-year-old man arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with the fire was later released on bail.

Across the weekend, significant wildfires also took hold in the Ben Crom and Silent Valley areas in the Mourne Mountains.

On Monday firefighters continued to tackle another gorse fire on the mountainside at Bloody Bridge outside Newcastle, Co Down.

Mr Harbinson warned that the fire could escalate.

“The early indication is potentially that the incident may escalate in terms of our resourcing in order to deal with that,” he told the PA news agency at the scene on Monday afternoon.

“But it’s too early to forecast, but that’s the early indications of where we may be going.”

Elsewhere, a significant wildfire broke out on Sunday in the Garry Wood area close to the village of Dervock in Co Antrim.

Northern Ireland’s Environment minister Andrew Muir has expressed concern that someone will lose their life if those responsible for starting wildfires do not “wise up”.

Mr Muir will visit the Mourne Mountains later on Monday to see the extent of the damage.

“The environmental impact as a result of these fires has been significant,” he told Radio Ulster.

“We have hundreds of acres of protected land which has been destroyed as a result of these fires.

“But also I am really, really worried that we could actually see loss of life in the time ahead if people don’t wise up and stop lighting these malicious and deliberate fires.”