Northern Ireland wildfires: UFU slams DAERA with accusation it failed to act on wildfire recommendations two years ago

The Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) received almost 300 reports of wildfires during unusually hot weather from 3-10 April.

As the weather warning for wildfires remains in place, NIFRS is reminding the public to stay vigilant to the risk of fires.

On Friday at 5pm NIFRS advised that six fire appliances and 33 firefighters were tackling a major gorse fire in Brookeborough, Lisnaskea, as well as domestic fires in Dungannon, Greenisland, Carrickfergus and Larne. Thursday night saw NIFRS extinguish major gorse fires in Draperstown, Lisnaskea and Newtownhamilton.

On Monday Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir urged landowners to stop permitted burning of land earlier than the usual 14 April, to reduce the burden on emergency services.

Less than 24 hours later the UFU hit back, claiming that wildfires were "mainly" happening on land subject to strict government protections, which was preventing farmers from clearing overgrown, dry vegetation and creating "ideal" conditions for wildfires.

On Wednesday night the minister totally rejected the UFU claims. Then, appearing before the Stormont Agriculture Committee on Thursday, he branded the UFU claims "frankly, quite bizarre" and said "more, not less" protections are needed for such sites.

Then yesterday, the UFU accused DAERA of failing to act on recommendations it submitted to prevent wildfires in 2023.

"Although an action plan was expected, no implementation has followed," it said.

UFU president William Irvine and deputy president Glenn Cuddy visited the Mournes on Wednesday and spoke to farmers Seamus and John Maginn, who were badly impacted by this week's fires.

"In 2021, we met under the exact same circumstances and it was made very clear that in the time that has passed since, little to nothing has been done to improve wildfire prevention in the area," Mr Irvine said.

He called for the reactivation of the NI Wildfire Stakeholder Forum, to deal with the issues. Any new policy must be tailored to "work for hill farmers, not against them" and must allow them to manage vegetation "through grazing, topping and controlled burning".

In response DAERA said it is "keen" to work with farmers to better manage "precious" upland landscapes. These include bogs, heath and grasslands that require "appropriate, adaptive habitat management, informed by strategic wildfire risk reduction measures, both inside and outside designated sites".

It added that "this is necessary to restore ecological and climate resilience and naturally reduce fuel load".

The minister hopes to bring a strategy to the Executive soon and then the NI Wildfires Stakeholder Forum will be asked to co-design an action plan. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency will also work with stakeholders to develop a position paper.