Northern Ireland plan to tackle 'resource-draining' wildfires

Firefighters dealt with 67 wildfire calls over four days in March 2022, including incidents in the Mourne Mountains

A bid to dramatically reduce the number of wildfires is the focus of a new consultation by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).

The draft strategy aims to reduce wildfires and lessen their impact through six themes, including land management, engagement and response.

The agency said "shared solutions" were needed to tackle the problem.

Most years there are "thousands of reported incidents", it said, which are a drain on resources.

The consultation follows the establishment of a Wildfire Stakeholder Group, which has been involved in awareness initiatives in various locations.

• Investigation after large gorse fire in Mournes

• Warning to NI public over 'devastating' wildfires

It will run until 20 June.

The increased risk posed by wildfires has been identified in several reports as climate change alters weather patterns.

'Threat to life'

More than 100 firefighters battled a large blaze in the Mourne Mountains in April 2021

Dr Mark Hammond, who is director of the natural environment division at the NIEA, said "wildfires are a threat to people, property, wildlife and the countryside and efforts to fight them are a drain on the public resources".

"We could have destruction of forestry crops," he said.

"If the fires occur in water catchments, then that will cause an increase in costs for water purification and it also damages farmland, but I suppose ultimately one of the biggest concerns we would have is that threat to life."

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The consultation document said that authorities responded to more than 3,000 wildfires in April and May 2011 were responded to costing £8m, including one day when every fire appliance in Northern Ireland was deployed apart from the Rathlin Island crews.

Those fires, it added, "significantly impacted" the Forestry Service, Northern Ireland Water, the farming community and nature conservation and were the catalyst for a significant change in how the wildfire problem in Northern Ireland was looked at.

Fire crews from across County Down were sent to a blaze near Spelga Dam on Sunday, 26 March, 2023

Dr Hammond said the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service "do a great job in putting many of the fires out at an early stage", but that it only takes a small number to get out of control "to become expensive and really cause significant problems".

"We see wildfires almost as being a shared problem, so we need shared solutions," he added.

"It [the strategy consultation] is directed towards everyone who has an interest in wildfire issues, whether it be landowners, land managers, community groups, communities and urban rural interfaces or conservation managers, or really anyone who has potential experience dealing with wildfire issues."

On Sunday, firefighters tackled a large gorse fire in the Mourne Mountains close to Spelga Dam.

Last March, the fire Northern Ireland Fire Service responded to dozens of wildfire calls, some of which were believed to be deliberate.

In April of last year a large gorse fire - believed to have been started deliberately - spread on Cave Hill in north Belfast, while in April 2021, more than 100 firefighters battled a huge blaze on Slieve Donard in the Mournes, an area outstanding natural beauty.