Northern Ireland braces for elevated risk of wildfires
Members of the public are being urged to act responsibly when visiting the countryside in the weeks ahead, as Northern Ireland braces for continued dry weather and an elevated risk of wildfires.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt and Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir made the appeal following their visit to Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) personnel who led the response to a series of serious wildfires in recent weeks. The Ministers visited NIFRS headquarters in Lisburn and met with on-call firefighters during a drill night at Ballynahinch Fire Station to personally thank those involved.
Speaking during the visit, Minister Nesbitt praised the emergency services for their courage and commitment.
“It was a privilege to meet the NIFRS teams who tackled the recent gorse and wildfires that swept through vast areas of our countryside, threatening homes, livelihoods and natural habitats,” he said. “The bravery and resilience demonstrated by crews and support staff in extreme conditions stands as a testament to their dedication to public safety. I offer my sincere gratitude to everyone who played a role in bringing these fires under control.”
He added that, as warmer weather continues, visitors to rural areas must remain vigilant. “I would ask everyone enjoying the countryside over the coming months to do so responsibly and help reduce the risk of wildfires,” Nesbitt said.
Minister Muir echoed those concerns, describing the scale of destruction as “heartbreaking”.
“These fires caused devastating damage to wildlife, livestock, and local communities. However, the impact would have been far worse without the coordinated response and courage shown by firefighters and all agencies involved,” he said. “Specialist equipment, including All-Terrain Vehicles and portable pumps, was deployed by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to support the firefighting efforts.”
Muir called on the public to play their part in preventing future blazes. “We all have a responsibility to protect our countryside and reduce the pressure on emergency services. Please exercise care when outdoors.”
Between 3 and 13 April, NIFRS received 2,762 calls to its Regional Control Centre, mobilising crews to 1,499 incidents—390 of which were gorse and wildfire-related. Fires were reported across a wide area, including Bloody Bridge in Newcastle, Silent Valley near Kilkeel, Sawel Mountain near Newtownstewart, and Dervock in County Antrim. A major incident was declared in the Mourne Mountains. Many of the fires are believed to have been started deliberately, with hundreds of firefighters and emergency responders involved in the operation.
During the Ministers’ visit, they met not only frontline firefighters but also control room operators and support staff critical to the emergency response.
NIFRS Chief Fire & Rescue Officer Aidan Jennings expressed his appreciation for the Ministers’ visit and highlighted the exhaustive efforts of all personnel.
“Our firefighters worked relentlessly in extremely challenging and exhausting conditions to contain the fires. Behind the scenes, control room operators and support teams ensured a fast, coordinated response. Their dedication was outstanding and I am immensely proud of their work,” Jennings said.
“With more dry weather forecast, I would strongly urge the public to enjoy the countryside safely and help prevent further wildfires.”
