Mourne Mountains wildfire warning as heatwave approaches in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Water has issued advice and guidance ahead of an upcoming mini heatwave in Northern Ireland.

With the Met Office predicting bright sunny spells and temperatures to rise well above 20 degrees next week, NI Water is reminding the public to enjoy the Mourne Mountains and its other water catchment areas responsibly to reduce the risk of wildfires.

A water catchment is where water is collected by the natural landscape into rivers, lakes and streams. NI Water controls 24 drinking water catchments that supply water all over Northern Ireland. NI Water’s teams work hard to deal with many catchment issues, including the risk and problem of wildfires, to ensure customer tap water quality is always of a high quality.

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NI Water Catchment Liaison Officer Rebecca Allen said: “With a mini heatwave building up gradually over the next few days before Monday’s high of 22 degrees, we would naturally expect to see an increase in footfall across all our water catchment areas including the Mourne Mountains.

“While these places are great to visit and very picturesque it’s important for visitors to remember that these areas provide drinking water, so the public must take special care to look after them and protect them from any risk of wildfires.

“The Mournes are no stranger to wildfires and important conservation work to restore the habitat still continues there after the April 2021 fire. We don’t want to see the good work undone, we don’t want any future wildfires or risk to human life, wildlife, property or our environment again.

“If a wildfire happens it also removes the primary layer of vegetation, leaving the burned bare soil exposed to erosion which then makes its way into the reservoirs which is treated to become our drinking water. This requires a lot of resource and expertise to remove at the water treatment stage. We all have our part to play in protecting the environment and enjoy our time in the countryside responsibly.”

Some do’s and don’ts when visiting water catchment areas during hot, dry weather to protect drinking water quality include:

• Do not light fires in and around forests or open land

• Do not attempt to intervene or fight fires under any circumstances

• If you see a fire, gather all family/group members and move to a safe fuel-free location such as a car park, upwind of the fire

• Telephone the NI Fire and Rescue Service on 999 and report the fire and its location

• Evacuate if instructed to do so, and cooperate with all Emergency Service Instructions

• If you see someone deliberately setting fires, report it to the PSNI immediately as it is a criminal offence

Some friendly advice when enjoying your time in the countryside:

• Leave no trace; please take your rubbish with you

• Never fly-tip waste material

• Extinguish cigarettes and other flammable materials properly

• Never throw cigarette ends out of car windows

• Avoid using open fires

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