The Achill IFA Commonage Fire Watch Team has condemned the alleged criminal removal of a newly installed fire risk warning sign on the island.

The sign had been erected by Mayo County Council at The Grove, Bunnacurry, which the team described as "a recognised fire blackspot and one of the busiest stretches of road on Achill Island".

The incident occurred in the days leading up to the Achill Half Marathon, one of the island’s most popular annual events, which draws a significant increase in vehicle traffic to the area.

The sign was one of three temporary fire safety signs installed in recent weeks by Mayo County Council in response to continued fire risk and rising community concern.

Located in areas with a history of roadside wildfires — many believed to be caused by discarded cigarette butts — the signs aimed to increase awareness and help prevent further outbreaks during the dry summer months.

While two of the signs remain in place, the one at The Grove was removed entirely and has not been recovered, despite searches in the surrounding area.

In May, farmers and residents on Achill Island demanded “immediate and coordinated action” from authorities after a sharp increase in dangerous roadside fires.

The Achill IFA Commonage Fire Watch Team, which has been active since 2023, has recorded 12 wildfires in the area over the past three years, with three already reported in 2025 alone.

Several of these fires came within metres of homes, posing a grave threat to lives, livelihoods, and biodiversity.

The most severe blaze occurred in 2023, when thousands of acres of grazing land, vital habitats, and rare flora and fauna were destroyed.

The fire, which originated from the roadside in Bunnacurry, became so dangerous that an entire local village was placed on evacuation alert.

The team said that the removal of this public safety signage "represents a serious act of interference with efforts to protect homes, farmland, biodiversity, and lives".

The matter has been formally reported to An Garda Síochána, with the team calling for a full investigation into its removal.

The group welcomed the cooperation from Mayo County Council to date, but added that this incident also highlights a clear vulnerability in current fire safety measures.

It said that the temporary nature of the signage made it easy to remove — reinforcing the need for properly funded, permanent fire risk signage across the island.

The Fire Watch Team renewed its call for a dedicated local authority budget to deliver a long-term fire awareness strategy.

This includes large, permanent signs placed in both high-risk and moderate-risk areas, along with a coordinated public awareness campaign. The Achill IFA Fire Watch Team said that it continues to seek "joined-up action and cooperation" between Mayo County Council, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), the Road Safety Authority (RSA), the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), and local emergency services.

Anyone with information about the missing sign is asked to contact the gardaí in confidence.