Fire Crews On Standby As Warm Conditions Continue

With the mercury rising again this week, likely to touch the 30s in some parts, the risk of forest fires is rearing its ugly head once again.

As the lands dry out and the sun beats down, it only takes a spark to set off a devastating situation.

Darren Buchanan is the Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer at Wexford County Council.

He says we've mostly been lucky so far this summer but the busy period for his department is just getting started:

"Normally it's into July and August when we get the larger fires.

"Thankfully, we didn't get too many fires around April or May. Sometimes we'll get some upland fires with the gorse in the Blackstairs but we didn't have too many this year.

"Summertime is always a very busy time because of the increase in road based incidents due to the increase in traffic.

"We also have to deal with the general rescues with commerical and domestic fires and some in the countryside."

Authorities around the country are on alert because the best way to stop a fire is to spot it before it starts.

That's why the Department of Agriculture regularly updates its fire safety alarm service during the summer months to help people stay vigilant for the secret dangers of forest fires.

Darren explains how the system works and how they respond to it.

"So it's either a yellow, orange or a red warning. The last fire warning in June was an orange one but if the same conditions and temperatures were seen in August when the ground is a lot dryer, it would have been a red.

"It takes into account a number of factors, the heat, how dry the vegetation is and the wind direction and humidity as well."

While some of us may be loving the extra sunshine and the heat that it brings, it can spell a lot of hard work for those on the frontline when things get out of hand.

Darren outlines some of the potential issues he's watching out for when the weather has been like this for so long:

"Gorse fires are normally seen earlier in the year but we could still get those on the Blackstairs.

"Grass fires potenitally on the beaches as well as forest fires on the likes of Tara Hill where we had one last year or in the likes of Ravenswood as well."

Some fires can be as a result of natural causes, a spark lights up some dried grass and away we go.

But sometimes, they can be started accidentally by human activity.

Darren has this message for anyone who might get caught up in one of these fires:

"Be vigilant wherever you are in the countryside. 

"If you're using a barbeque, only use it in a suitable location and never leave it unattended.

"Avoid lighting fires in open areas or where there's grass, trees or shrubs around it.

"Dispose of cigarettes correctly and if you do see a fire, no matter how large or small, report it by calling either 999 or 112.

"The earlier we can get that reported, the quicker we can respond and hopefully bring it under control."

That report was funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.