Firefighters battle major Co Wexford gorse fires that threatened homes
Firefighters in north Co Wexford are battling gorse fires that have threatened homes and killed wildlife over an extensive area.
A number of units of the Co Wexford Fire Service, aided by gardaí and locals, worked to halt the blaze, which was first noticed on Sunday afternoon on the eastern side of Tara Hill near Gorey. It spread rapidly across the hill overnight.
As it intensified, firefighters from Arklow, Co Wicklow, also responded and water was sourced from the nearby Ahare river.
Speaking on Monday, Fianna Fáil TD for Wicklow–Wexford Malcolm Byrne said there were 'seven fire appliances on the hill and there will be an assessment soon as to whether helicopter assistance will be required'.
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'The dry conditions are not helping. The smoke has been visible from Gorey town,' he said.
Locals expressed concern for property and hopes for rain in social media posts. On the Facebook Ballymoney/Tara Hill Peoples Page, one post on Sunday said: 'Thinking of all the hard working Fire Crews & Local Farmers tonight still battling the fires on Tara Hill since 2pm today ... hopefully they will soon get them contained.'
Another stated: 'Hoping all the residents & homes remain safe ... Please God the wind will die down ... & it will rain soon.'
Met Éireann
said there was a chance of isolated showers near the east coast on Monday.
The forecaster said showers will develop more widely on Monday afternoon and evening, some of them heavy, and that there could be spot flooding and isolated thunderstorms.
The highest temperatures are expected to be around 22 degrees in the west, with light to moderate easterly or variable breezes.
After the showers, the rest of the week is expected to be mainly dry, with sunny weather returning. Conditions will likely be mixed and changeable later in the week with weather fronts moving in from the Atlantic next weekend.
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