Wildfire warning no longer in place in NI
Firefighters tackled a spate of wildfires in the Mourne Mountains in April
- Published
Northern Ireland is no longer under warnings for wildfires although high temperatures are set to continue.
There was a yellow warning for wildfires from the National Hazards Partnership, external in place from Thursday across Northern Ireland, meaning there was a likelihood of manageable wildfires, however the afternoon's hazard assessment no longer includes Northern Ireland in a wildfire warning.
The warning was set to be elevated to amber on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, meaning an increased risk of difficult-to-control wildfires, but that is no longer the case.
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) has appealed for people to follow advice to keep Northern Ireland safe from wildfires.
This includes no BBQs or campfires in the countryside and to not drop cigarettes or matches.
Mourne Heritage Trust estimated a fire in Silent Valley in April spread over 1,500-1,700 acres.
During the height of last month's wildfires there were 147 fires across the Mourne Mountains.
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Positive weather forecast
A prolonged spell of dry, sunny, and warm weather is set to last into next week.
Temperatures climbed into the low 20s on Tuesday in the west, well above the May average of 14.8C.
With high pressure dominating, this trend is set to continue for the rest of this week, and over the weekend.
The coming days will seen plenty of sunshine with temperatures climbing close to the mid-20s inland and towards the west.
Coastal areas will typically be cooler with thermometers reaching the mid-to high teens.
The weekend will offer more of the same with temperatures of about 23-24C in the west, and around 18C along the coast.
Looking ahead, the settled weather is set to persist into early next week although there is some uncertainty later in the week as high pressure begins to shift.
Hot weather is continuing across Northern Ireland
The RNLI has warned of the dangers of entering the water during spells of good weather.
Linda-Gene Byrne, RNLI water safety lead, urged the public to be aware of the dangers, know their limits and not to take risks.
"Go with others and look out for each other. Make sure your phone is charged so you can call for help if you come across anyone who needs it," she said.
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Swimmers have also been warned of the dangers of being tempted to swim in quarry water.
Water in quarries can be extremely cold, deep and contain hidden hazards such as abandoned machinery and ledges.
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'Use our water supply wisely'
Maynard Cousley, Water Supply Senior Manager with NI Water, said Northern Ireland has experienced a winter and spring with "less than average rainfall".
He said rain in mid-April has brought reservoir levels back up and the overall storage is now sitting at 88% capacity, but with the Met Office forecasting dry and reasonably warm weather for the next week "we cannot take our water supply for granted".
"We must use our water supply wisely so we can conserve it for when we need it most," Mr Cousley added.
Several areas in the Republic of Ireland are under hosepipe ban orders
Hosepipe ban
In the Republic of Ireland, where similar conditions are persisting, several areas are under hosepipe ban orders.
They include Mildford in Donegal, Mulligan in Westmeath, and Kells-Oldcastle in County Meath.
Uisce Éireann (Irish Water) has urged communities across Donegal to make every effort to conserve and reduce water usage, external.
Meanwhile residents on County Galway's Inis Óirr are facing night time restrictions in order, external to protect the island's water supply.
- Published8 April
