Wildfires in Mourne Mountains Raise Concerns Over Accountability
The recurring issue of wildfires in the Mourne Mountains has been attributed to the absence of repercussions for those responsible, according to Martin McMullan, a co-ordinator for the Mourne Mountain Rescue team.
McMullan noted that the fires that occurred over the weekend in the mountains
"definitely didn't look like they started from a recreational source".
The fires ignited in several locations, including Slievenaman Road and Ballagh Road in Newcastle, as well as Sandbank Road in Hilltown.
"The areas where they started were almost inaccessible to the general public. This happens year after year... and there's no consequences for those that are undertaking these actions,"McMullan stated.
During the incident, more than 50 firefighters were engaged in combating the blaze on Slievenaman Road.
Stormont's Agriculture and Environment Minister, Andrew Muir, emphasized the serious impact of the wildfires, saying
"the impact of the wildfires is real and significant, with lives potentially at risk, communities in fear and natural habitats destroyed".
Muir further stressed that
"rural arson is a crime"and urged anyone with information regarding individuals deliberately setting fires in the countryside to contact the police.
Unpredictable Nature of the Fires
Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme on Monday, McMullan reported that from his perspective in Newcastle, the wildfires on the eastern side of the Mournes appeared to have
"died down".
However, he cautioned that
"that's not to say the fires in the western Mournes aren't still smouldering,"adding that such fires
"can continue to burn for quite a period of time".
He explained that these fires
"don't just burn on the surface, they also burn into the ground. So it's quite unpredictable in that sense."
McMullan described the weekend fires as having
"spread quite quickly with a certain level of ferocity", attributing this to the absence of significant fires in that area previously, which resulted in abundant gorse and heather fuel.
The primary concern was the spread of one fire towards residential properties along the Coast Road and into Donard Forest in Newcastle.
As a precaution, one caravan park was evacuated, and the public was advised to avoid the affected area.
Government Response and Wildfire Action Plan
In response to the increasing threat of wildfires, the Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs (Daera) published a new wildfire action plan earlier in April. This external plan outlines a coordinated approach to managing wildfires.
The plan includes numerous measures aimed at enhancing resilience and reducing both the frequency and severity of wildfires.
