The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has warned that there is a high risk of forest fires this weekend.
The department issued the condition orange warning yesterday (Friday, April 22) and it is due to remain in place until midday on Monday (April 25).
“Arising from current weather patterns a high fire risk is deemed to exist in all areas where hazardous fuels such as dead grasses and shrub fuels such as heather and gorse exist,” DAFM said.
The department said that the behaviour of a fire and the rate at which it could spread would be influenced by the brisk wind speeds being forecasted for the weekend.
“While some rainfall is forecast in coming days, this may not reach into all areas and may not have a significant impact on fuels in all locations.
“Wind speeds may exceed 30km/h in some locations. Higher wind speeds at this level will increase fire suppression requirements in affected areas,” it explained.
The department advised all forest owners and managers to prepare for “likely outbreaks of fire”.
It said that fire lines, plans and suppression equipment should be reviewed.
DAFM also asked forest owners, farmers, rural dwellers and other countryside users to be extremely vigilant regarding fire activity.
It said that An Garda Síochána should be contacted in relation to any suspicious or illegal activity, while all fires should be immediately reported to the fire and emergency services by calling 112/999.
As previously reported by Agriland, emergency services spent more than 16 hours bringing an “enormous gorse fire” on the border of counties Carlow and Wexford under control last month.
Carlow County Fire and Rescue Service said that the blaze in the Slieve Bawn area of Mount Leinster was “one of the most challenging fires” it has dealt with in many years.