Fire commander warns of risks after huge blaze in mountains

Fire commander warns of risks after huge blaze in mountains

A LOCAL fire commander has urged landowners and walkers to be careful about potential fires after firefighters battled to control the largest blaze in the Mournes in recent years.

Downpatrick District Commander Glen Cleland issued the warning after 45 firefighters spent almost eight hours bringing a scrub fire under control on Easter Sunday.

Seven pumping appliances from towns across the area were tasked to the fire above the Bloody Bridge on the Ballagh Road at 11am and dry conditions and high winds made it difficult for firefighters to stifle the flames.

Mr. Cleland said the difficult terrain meant staff had to walk for 45 minutes in some areas to reach the blaze, with 20 manual beaters used to painstakingly flatten the flames in some areas while rivers were used as a watersource in remote spots.

He said the fire, which covered a 40-hectare area, was the largest fire they had dealt with for a couple of years and the Fire Service was grateful for assistance from the British Red Cross and Mourne Heritage Trust on the day.

Mr. Cleland said the Easter weekend was a typically high risk time 

for wildland fires because it is the end of the burning season for land owners while an upsurge in visitors means more people than usual use the mountain for recreational pursuits.

He said the recent dry spell, coupled with sunshine and high winds, meant Sunday’s conditions were the “perfect recipe” for a fire.

“Logistically it was a nightmare because we needed so many people there,” he said.

“The amount of resources we had in the Mournes means the resources were spread more thinly in the surrounding towns as we had to move these appliances to the Mournes.

“If we had had another significant fire at that time our response time would have been affected.

“That is why we would ask people to take great care in the Mournes, whether landowners or visitors, particularly during periods of little or no rain.”