Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) was mobilised at 5pm on Saturday 5 April to a significant wildfire on Sandbank Road, Hilltown, which was subsequently declared a major incident1. The service said the cause of the fire is believed to have been deliberate ignition1.
At the height of operations, 15 fire appliances and over 100 firefighters worked with partner agencies in difficult conditions and high winds throughout the night to bring the large wildfire under control1. As a precaution, a number of residents were evacuated from their homes on the Sandbank and Kilbroney roads while the fire was brought under control, and at approximately 3.00am on Sunday 6 April resources began scaling back1.
NIFRS Chief Fire & Rescue Officer Aidan Jennings said:
"At 5pm on Saturday 5 April, NIFRS were mobilised to a significant wildfire on Sandbank Road, Hilltown. This was subsequently declared as a major incident."
An amber weather warning remains in place for wildfires across Northern Ireland1. Firefighters were also in attendance at wildfires in the Silent Valley and Ben Crom area of Newcastle and were expected to be at the scene throughout the day on Sunday 6 April1. Between midnight on Thursday 3 April and midnight on Saturday 5 April, NIFRS received 741 calls into its Regional Control Centre1.
Why it matters for households
The major incident declaration covers the Hilltown area of County Down, where residents on the Sandbank and Kilbroney roads were evacuated as a precaution1. The amber wildfire warning applies across Northern Ireland, so the risk is not confined to the incident site1. NIFRS said it has contingency plans in place and is continuing to respond to incidents1. The service's advice to prevent fires in the countryside includes avoiding open fires, extinguishing cigarettes and other smoking materials properly, using barbeques only in a suitable and safe area and never leaving them unattended, not leaving bottles or glass in woodland or grassland, parking considerately so as not to impede emergency vehicles, and keeping children away from lighters, matches and open fires1. NIFRS also advises that people should not attempt to tackle fires that cannot be extinguished with a bucket of water and should leave the area as quickly as possible, that a fire in the countryside should be reported to NIFRS immediately by calling 999, and that anyone seen setting fires should be reported to the PSNI1. What it means when an incident of this kind is declared is set out in the guide to what it means when a major incident is declared; background on dry conditions and wildfire risk is in the heatwaves and drought hub, and wider planning material is in the UK preparedness hub.
What happens next
The amber wildfire weather warning remained in place on Sunday 6 April1. NIFRS said resources at Sandbank Road began scaling back at approximately 3.00am that day, and that firefighters were expected to remain at the Silent Valley and Ben Crom area of Newcastle throughout the day1. No further timeline has been reported.
Major Incident Declared
