A total of 48 firefighters were called in to battle a gorse fire in Co. Antrim – which spread over an area of 1km – yesterday evening (Wednesday, May 16).
The blaze broke out in Craig’s Forest, Finvoy, Ballymoney, with emergency services called at about 3:20pm.
Releasing a statement on the matter yesterday, a Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) spokesperson said: “At approximately 3:20pm this afternoon, NIFRS Regional Control Centre received a call to a report of a gorse fire on land near to Craig’s Forest, Finvoy, Ballymoney.
A total of eight fire appliances with 48 firefighters are currently engaged in firefighting operations.
“The incident has an estimated fire front of approximately 1km and crews are working to bring it under control,” the spokesperson added.
Firefighting operations are likely to continue well into the evening, the spokesperson said at the time.
Tyrone cattle theft
Last week, between 40 and 50 cattle which were housed in a shed have reportedly been stolen in the Foglish Road area of Fivemiletown, Co. Tyrone.
Police in Lisnaskea, Co. Fermanagh, are investigating the theft which was reported at around 12:50pm on Thursday, May 10.
Constable Niall Bennett of the PSNI said: “It was reported that this occurred between 2:00pm on Wednesday, May 9, and midday on Thursday, May 10.
I am appealing for anyone who was in the area between these times, or in recent days, and saw any suspicious activity to contact us.
“I am also appealing to anyone who knows of the movements of a cattle lorry in the area around these times, between May 9 and May 10, to contact police in Lisnaskea on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 564 of 10/05/18,” he said.