Firefighters extinguish large gorse fire
MORE than 60 firefighters were involved in tackling a large gorse fire in the Mournes on Sunday.
Eight engines and 64 firefighters, on what was one of the hottest days of the year so far, brought the blaze, on the outskirts of Hilltown, under control.
Drone footage, taken by Sky Watch NI volunteers, who were requested to carry out aerial surveillance to monitor the fire and related conditions, clearly shows the extent of the fire and the damage it caused.
People were asked to avoid the area throughout the operation.
Some NIFRS crews remained at the scene well into the evening and, once the blaze had been extinguished, dampened the area down.
During the incident, the Fire and Rescue Service also appealed for those living in the area to keep their windows and doors closed and confirmed that “firefighting operations will be ongoing throughout the day”.
A social media post by the Sky Watch NI charity confirmed that they had been requested to assist NIFRS on Sunday morning.
‘We were tasked by the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service to assist in the Hilltown area with a wildland fire. The fire was quickly extinguished before it got out of control,’ a representative outlined.
‘The quality of our drone cameras allows firefighters to see the ‘hot spots’ and how fast the fire is spreading, allowing the fire service to make better informed decisions on how best to fight the fire,’ they added.
