Northern Ireland wildfire warnings issued as hot weather continues
- Published
Several wildfire warnings have been issued across the island of Ireland as hot and dry weather continues.
Temperatures soared into the mid-twenties on Thursday and Friday as warm and dry air settled over the island.
Provisional Met Office figures show that the period up to 27 May saw just 30.6mm of rain in Northern Ireland, or 42% of the average monthly rainfall.
Spring has been very dry with early figures recording just 52% of normal rainfall in March, April, and May.
The EU's Emergency Management Service (EMS) has forecast extreme wildfire danger across Ireland and Britain in the coming days, external.
Fire crews in Northern Ireland dealt with more than 500 wildfire or gorse-related fires over April.
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) has appealed to people not to start fires in the countryside for any reason, warning that they could spread quickly and draw firefighters away from where they are needed most.
Area commander Mark Smyth said the fire service was "well placed to continue protecting our community during the COVID-19 pandemic" thanks to careful planning.
He said it was important that the public does not add any additional pressure on the emergency services during this time.
'Added pressure on emergency services'
According to the Department of Environment, an amber warning has also been issued for Northern Ireland by the Natural Hazards Partnership.
A spokesperson from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said they were concerned about the vulnerability of the countryside to wildfires in dry and warm weather and was concerned "wildfires could catch and spread easily".
"We are currently outside the prescribed burning season and we are also asking the public not to burn any waste material," the spokesperson added.
"Everyone must play a part in reducing the chance of a wildfire catching - they are dangerous for humans, property and wildlife, damaging to the environment and our natural habitats and put added pressure on our emergency services."
In the Republic of Ireland, the Department of Agriculture has issued a red warning for forest fires - the highest level of warning possible.
"Arising from current weather patterns, an extreme forest fire risk is deemed to exist in all areas where hazardous fuels such as dead grasses, heather, and gorse exist" departmental guidance said, external.
It added that the warning is a "comparatively rare event" and it will remain in place until Monday.
The abnormally warm and dry weather will continue well into next week before cooler air is expected to bring temperatures down on Thursday.
With little or no rain forecast, places will mainly stay dry for at least another week.