Mourne Mountain wildfires: PSNI deploy helicopters to spot arsonists and assist NIFRS
The PSNI is deploying helicopters to the Mourne Mountains to spot arsonists, beginning fires and give early warnings to people at risk.
Firefighters have tackled almost 150 blazes in the area since Thursday night with over 75 firefighters tackling a significant wildfire in the mountains overnight from Monday into Tuesday.
It comes after a major incident was declared at the weekend when a large wildfire close to the Mournes led to homes being evacuated. That blaze is being treated as arson.
An amber wildfire warning is expected to remain in place until the end of the week, with the forecast for increasing temperatures in Northern Ireland heightening concerns of further ignitions.
This morning the NI Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said it had received 240 calls on Monday, and that 27 of the 148 calls mobilised involved wildfires.
One of the PSNI helicopters – it understood to have three - was seen flying towards the Mournes about 2pm on Tuesday.
PSNI District Commander for Newry, Mourne and Down Superintendent Norman Haslett said this afternoon: "We have implemented dedicated patrolling and are utilising all the capabilities of our Air Support and other specialist units to survey the Mournes to help us locate potential suspects, spot any fires early, and alert those who may be at risk or in any imminent danger.
“We are liaising with our colleagues in the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service to try to determine which fires have been maliciously started and people who are found to have deliberately set any of these fires should be under no illusion that they will face legal consequences for their reckless actions.”
He said there have been a significant number of gorse fires across the Mournes in recent days, “some of which we believe have been started deliberately”.
He added: “These wildfires pose a real and present threat to the homes, farms, and lives of the people in the areas affected, not to mention the widespread devastation they are causing to our environment, and the untold harm being done to native wildlife and habitats.”
The unpredictability of wildfires means that those setting them are risking the lives of emergency services workers and their own, he added.
This evening the NIFRS said a two-mile wide wildfire in the Bloody Bridge area of the Mourne Mountains had been dealt with.
More than 75 Firefighters were involved in tackling a fire front of two miles long. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
“Over 16 Firefighters are now at the scene of another wildfire close to Bloody Bridge on the Slieve Bearnagh area of the Mourne Mountains,” a spokesperson said.
"Three appliances are currently at the scene and we expect firefighting operations to continue into the evening [Tuesday].
“Please stay away from the area where firefighting operations are taking place and avoid hillwalking close to Slieve Bearnagh.”
In the Western Area Command, firefighters were called to gorse on fire in the White Bridge area of Ballygawley, Co Tyrone yesterday at 1.57pm.
Four Fire Appliances and over 20 Firefighters were battling a one mile fire front.
Also today, firefighters dealt with a house fire in Newry, a fire in a flat in Belfast and a potential aircraft incident in Enniskillen, however no action was required on arrival.
“A yellow warning for wildfires is in place,” the NIFRS spokesperson added. “Please follow our fire safety advice and stay away from these areas. If you see a fire please call 999 immediately.”
On Tuesday morning NIFRS said wildfires in the Sawel Mountain area of Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone , and on the Carncullagh Road in Dervock, Co Antrim, had been dealt with as well as a kitchen fire in Banbridge and large shed fire in Hillsborough.
First Minister Michelle O'Neill described the destruction "devastating".
Speaking at Parliament Buildings this afternoon, Ms O'Neill said: "Something more must be done, whenever we look at what has happened over recent days, it is absolutely devastating to see these fires rage right across the Mournes.
Environment Minister Andrew Muir visited the Mournes on Monday evening to see the damage. He said anyone deliberately setting fires is risking lives, and could be charged with manslaughter.