Firefighters battle major gorse fire in Dublin Mountains

Firefighters and paramedics responded at 2am to a large gorse fire spreading in the Dublin Mountains near the Piperstown Road. Dublin Fire Brigade deployed three fire engines, a specialised jeep, a District Officer, and a drone unit, with crews still on site by 10am. Aerial firefighting began shortly after midday to bring the blaze under control. The brigade urged the public to avoid the area and asked people not to fly drones nearby. Roads were obscured by smoke. Residents affected by smoke were told to keep doors and windows closed, and farmers were urged to check on their livestock.

"Firefighters are tackling a large gorse fire which spread in the Dublin Mountains in the early hours of Thursday morning. Dublin Fire Brigade and paramedics arrived at the scene at 2am and have been fighting a blaze off the Piperstown Road in Dublin. Three fire engines, a specialised jeep, a District Officer and a drone unit were still on site as of 10am."

"Dublin Fire Brigade said aerial firefighting begun shortly after midday as the services tried to bring the fire under control. "Please avoid the area, and please do not fly drones near the area," they said in a post on Facebook. In a statement issued on social media in the morning, Dublin Fire Brigade has appealed to the public to avoid the area and urged farmers in the area to check on their livestock."

"They said roads in the area have been obscured by smoke. "If you are living in the area and are affected by smoke, please keep your doors and windows closed," a spokesperson added."

Read at Irish Independent