Mourne Mountains: NIFRS records more than 1,000 wildfires since 201

Mourne Mountains: NIFRS records more than 1,000 wildfires since 201

There have been slotxo หน้าเว็บ more than 1,000 wildfires in the Mourne Mountains over the last five years, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIRFS) figures show.

That is small, large and everything in between.

Like the fire on Slieve Donard in April, it is believed that more than 90% of them were started deliberately.

Farmers and vandals are often blamed for starting such fires but a definitive cause is seldom given.

"It could be any number of causes and those are certainly two of those," said Aidan Jennings, NIRFS Assistant Chief Fire and Rescue Officer.

"For the most part, we find that those fires are started deliberately and that has been our experience over many years."

A breakdown of the NIFRS figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act, highlights that of 1,012 Mournes wildfires between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2020, a total of 932 were deemed deliberate.

Mr Jennings added: "A deliberate fire for us in terms of the wildfire environment, we look at the potential cause.

"We are in an area of outstanding natural beauty. We don't have causes that are immediate or obvious causes in that environment. People will talk about glass bottles and sun through and that can be the case but it is very unusual".

The NIFRS figures show that each year had more than 100 call outs - but 2018/19 had by far the most with 377.

As regards geography, the data highlights which station responded first with Kilkeel (477), Newcastle (366), Rathfriland (86) and Warrenpoint (73) accounting for the overwhelming majority.