Gorse fire

Fire brigade battle to control gorse fire

Anton McNulty

TWO units of the Mayo fire brigade were called to battle a gorse fire in Achill on Sunday evening after the fire spread quickly across the hill near the village of Dooega.
The fire services were notified of the fire at approximately 6pm on Sunday evening when heather and grass at the side of the road caught fire. The Achill fire brigade was called to tackle the fire but the dry heather and the strong wind meant that the fire spread quickly and they were unable to control it. A second unit from Westport was called and up to 20 locals also volunteered to assist in controlling the fire.
White smoke billowed across the landscape and out onto the Atlantic, as the winds helped strengthen and spread the fire and made it difficult for people to bring it under control. The wind was forcing the fire up the hill and away from the village of Dooega and volunteers worked frantically for over three hours to bring it under control. There was a fear that the wind would change direction, towards the village, but luckily this did not come to pass. As the fire was brought under control the destruction and the path of the fire could be seen by the blackened earth.
Over the past two weeks the fire services in Achill and around Mayo have been busy battling gorse fires which start very easily because of the dry grass and bogland.