Fire brigade puts out gorse fire in south Dublin

Heavy smoke from Glendoo Mountain blaze forces the closure of a road in the area

A gorse fire on Glendoo Mountain, Co Dublin. Photograph: Dublin Fire Brigade
A gorse fire on Glendoo Mountain, Co Dublin. Photograph: Dublin Fire Brigade

Dublin Fire Brigade has put out a gorse fire in the Dublin mountains.

The brigade said that, at the height of the blaze on Glendoo Mountain, three fire engines and a foam tender were on the scene.

The brigade had said earlier on Twitter that heavy smoke from the fire had forced the closure of the Old Military Road.

It warned motorists to continue to avoid roads near wildfires, as wind changes can cause problems.

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Firefighters from the Rathfarnham station had attended to the blaze.

The fire came as temperatures in Ireland rise to as high as 30 degrees Celsius amid a continued spell of warm, dry weather.

On Tuesday, the Department of Agriculture issued a “condition red” forest fire danger notice, replacing an orange “high fire risk” notice that had been in effect since Thursday last.

“Under extreme fire risk conditions, any ignition may give rise to rapid and unpredictable wildfire development and spread, particularly in dead grasses and low moisture shrubs like gorse and heather,” the department said.

“Upland fires can be expected to cover extensive areas and pose extreme difficulties to suppression efforts and may potentially give rise to major emergency scenarios.”

State forestry company Coillte also said all outdoor use of fires, barbecues and other open ignition sources should be avoided on forest lands and in other high-risk areas until further notice.