Wildfires are 'significant drain on fire service resources'

Wildfires in parts of Northern Ireland have been a "significant drain" on the resources of the fire service, a senior fire officer has said.

Marcus Wright was speaking as crews dealt with a large blaze at a forest in County Londonderry.

Over the weekend, major fires broke out in the Mourne Mountains in County Down and the Northern Ireland and Fire Rescue Service (NIFRS) said those are now under control.

Elsewhere, the fire service dealt with a large gorse fire in Brookeborough, County Fermanagh, on Thursday. At its height 85 firefighters attended.

Wright said that the service had deployed more than 350 firefighters to "significant wildfires" adding: "These firefighters came from right across Northern Ireland. We would prefer if the firefighters were at home to respond to incidents in their local area."

Crews have dealt with a fire at Loughermore Forest in Dungiven, where a blaze started on Wednesday evening.

Separately, there are 50 firefighters at a fire in Lisnaskea.

Wright appealed to the public "to be aware and ensure that if they see any fires to report it immediately".

"The ignition sources are still under investigation," Wright said.

The Environment Minister, Andrew Muir, said he was grateful to the fire service but had a feeling of "despondency that this has happened again".

"These are deliberately caused by individuals who are lighting these. They're putting lives at risk. They're endangering communities and they are also destroying the environment.

"This is a time when we should be seeing nature come to life, but what we're seeing is wildfires ravaging our countryside," he added.

Earlier this week, Muir rejected claims of no consequences and said arsonists could face prison in some cases, but he added that the authorities need the public's help to bring them to justice.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, whose department is in charge of the fire service, said he was trying to get the message out to people "to stop doing this".

"If firefighters are down at the Mournes tackling a fire, they are not dealing with house fires where people are at risk," he said.

"These fires are being started deliberately and it has to stop."

Wildfires had also been raging in the Mourne Mountains for a number of days.

In an update on Thursday morning, NIFRS said with the exception of one water pump, fire teams are no longer tackling the blazes in the Mournes.

Vincent McAlinden, who lives and works in the area, said both land for grazing and recreational use has been burnt.

"There's thousands of hectares have now been incinerated and that's devastating," he told Good Morning Ulster on Thursday.

McAlinden, who is a Mourne Mountains West Trustee and Conservationist, added it was impossible to know how the fires are starting.

"We've asked a few times in terms of fire forensics, but it's just impossible," he said.

"Unless you're there at that time and you see a person burning stuff."

• 22 April: A wildfire warning is issued across Northern Ireland after a spell of dry weather
• 25 - 26 April: Multiple fires break out in the Mourne Mountains, including Sandbank Road (Hilltown) and areas near Newcastle, with smaller fires elsewhere
• 27–29 April: Firefighting continues; Ballagh Road is dealt with, and further fires are tackled including Chimney Rock and Crossmaglen
• 30 April: Fires at Sandbank Road, Chimney Rock and Crossmaglen, and separate blazes in Dungiven and Brookeborough are all dealt with