The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) has been called out to 146 gorse fires since Thursday (April 3).

Between midnight on Thursday and midnight on Sunday (April 6), the NIRFS Regional Control Centre received 997 emergency calls.

Fire crews were mobilised to 552 operational incidents with 146 of these incidents were wildfire related.

As an amber weather warning remains in place for wildfires across Northern Ireland, the NIFRS is appealing for the public to stay vigilant to the risk of fire in the countryside at this time.

Gorse fires

Firefighters have recently battled gorse fires on the Mourne Mountains, along with blazes in the Silent Valley and Ben Crom area of Newcastle.

NIFRS chief fire and rescue officer Aidan Jennings said that there was also a significant wildfire on Sandbank Road, Hilltown on Saturday, which "was subsequently declared as a major incident".

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

“At approximately 3:00a.m (Sunday, 6 April) resources began scaling back. The cause of this fire is believed to have been deliberate ignition," he said.

"However we are reassuring the public that we have contingency plans in place and are continuing to respond to incidents should the public need us.

“I would like to acknowledge the dedication and commitment of our firefighters, control room operators and support employees who have worked tirelessly in recent days to ensure the safety of our community across Northern Ireland, including our partner agencies," Jennings added.

A 25-year-old man who was arrested by police investigating the large gorse fire in the Sandbank Road area of Hilltown on Saturday was later released on police bail to allow for further enquiries to be conducted.

Superintendent Norman Haslett said: “We would reiterate our earlier appeal not to travel to the Slievenaman Road area of Newcastle due to an ongoing gorse fire -our colleagues at the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service need space to operate.

“We appreciate your patience and understanding at this time, as enquiries continue. If anyone has any information about criminal action linked to the recent gorse fires, please call police on 101."

NIFRS

Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir said that the "latest spate of wildfires are having a devastating impact on the environment and wildlife".

The minister said that the fires are putting lives at risk, while also endangering homes and farms.

Minister Muir said: "Grossly irresponsible actions by a few are having serious destructive impacts and must stop before a tragedy occurs and people are killed."

The minister thanked NIFRS for its "sustained and significant response" assisted by police, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and others in "extremely challenging circumstances".

He also encouraged anyone with any information that could assist with the apprehension of those deliberately and maliciously setting fires to contact the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) or Crimestoppers.

The NIFRS has also issued the following advice to prevent fires in the countryside:

Avoid using open fires in the countryside - an open fire can easily get out of control;
Extinguish cigarettes and other smoking materials properly and do not throw cigarette ends on the ground or out of car windows;
Only use barbeques in a suitable and safe area, and never leave them unattended;
Ensure barbeques are fully extinguished and cold before disposing of their contents;
Do not leave bottles or glass in woodland or grassland - take them home or dispose in a waste or recycling bin;
Be considerate in parking vehicles so you do not impede access for emergency vehicles;
Keep children away from lighters, matches, and open fires;
Do not attempt to tackle fires that cannot be extinguished with a bucket of water – leave the area as quickly as possible;
If you see a fire in the countryside, report it to NIFRS immediately by calling 999;
If you see someone setting fires, report it to the PSNI.