Mourne wildfire: Thousands evacuated from homes and caravan park as mile-long blaze rages

Thousands of people were evacuated after a large wildfire broke out on the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland.

Emergency services were called to Tollymore Forest, close to the town of Newcastle in County Down, after a blaze broke out in woodland on Sunday evening.

Fire crews said they were battling flames across a mile-long front on the mountain range.

Around 3,000 holidaymakers and residents from the nearby Bonny’s Caravan Park and surrounding residential streets were evacuated amid safety concerns, the Mourne Mountain Rescue Team said.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland warned anyone who had not left the campsite to do so immediately, urging the public to avoid the immediate area around the fire.

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) assistant chief fire officer, Alan Walmsley, said more than 50 firefighters had been dispatched to the scene.

“Crews working hard tackling the fire and protecting properties that could be at risk,” he added on Twitter late Sunday evening, “conditions punishing and challenging.”

The blaze was brought under control by firefighters overnight.

NIFRS said a small crew remained at the scene to deal any the remnants of the fire. The campsite has since been reopened.

Officials have yet to announce whether the cause of the blaze has been determined.

However, Mr Walmsley said the majority of gorse fires in the area were started deliberately.

“We would ask anyone involved in this behaviour to think about their actions and the impact on their local community,” he added.

Mourne councillor, Glyn Hanna, described the fire as “massive”, during an interview with the Belfast Telegraph.

“I haven’t seen as big a fire in that part of the Mournes for a long time,” the DUP representative said.

“I hope it’s not anti-social behaviour. There are a lot of young people about in Newcastle just at the minute.”

The Mournes are Northern Ireland’s tallest mountain range and a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The area is partly owned by the National Trust and attracts thousands of tourists, cyclists and hillwalkers each year.