The public have been called on to exercise awareness and vigilance of the fire risk in rural areas in warm and dry weather, after a fire on a "pristine" bog in Co. Westmeath.

The site of the fire was in the area of Finea in the north of the county, which was responded to by two fire appliances from Castlepollard fire station.

One of the 12-person team that responded to the fire was Alfie Devine, who is also a Westmeath county councillor.

He told Agriland that they received the call alerting them to the fire in the early hours of this morning (Friday, April 4), just after midnight.

As fire personal were unable to enter the bog during the night, it was a matter of observing the fire and ensuring it did not spread towards nearby houses, until first light this morning when they could get into the bog and start bringing the fire under control.

Cllr. Devine told Agriland that the "extensive" fire was brought under control after 7:00a.m this morning. By the time the fire was extinguished, some 100ac of the bog had been burned.

He then took to social media today to highlight to the public the risk of fires like this.

"We at Castlepollard fire service had a busy night last night... With the windy dry weather could everyone be aware that the grass at the side of the roads and laneways is straw-dry so please do not discard cigarettes, etc, out of cars or when walking," the Westmeath councillor said.

"The damage these fires cause is unbelievable and it takes a long time for the ecosystem to recover, so please be ultra aware of the dry conditions," he added.

Cllr. Devine told Agriland that, while it is "hard to say" what the cause of this particular fire was, a discarded cigarette butt is the most likely cause, although it could also have been caused by a discarded piece of glass that amplified the heat of the sun.

He explained that much of the work during the hours of darkness was based on confinement of the fire, as conditions were quite windy, there were embers blowing from the fire, and there were houses around.

He said that the bog, which was alongside a road, had been partially cut for peat in one area but was otherwise a natural, "pristine" bog.