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File image of firefighters battling a forest fire in Co Mayo. Alamy Stock Photo

'High risk' orange forest fire warning in place until Saturday evening

Forest owners and managers have been advised to prepare for ‘likely outbreaks of fire’.

AN ORANGE FOREST fire warning is in place until Saturday evening.

The warning has been issued by the Department of Agriculture and is in effect until 6pm on Saturday.

An orange warning means that there is a high fire risk.

The alert has been issued due to the current weather patterns and there is a high risk in areas where there are hazardous fuels such as dead grasses and shrub fuels like heather and gorse.

Met Éireann forecasts that today and tomorrow will be largely dry, with highs of 15 degrees.

In a statement, the Department said: “A high-pressure system currently located over Scandinavia will induce easterly airflows over Ireland, with moderate humidity and moderate wind speeds as the week progresses.”

The statement added: “Fire behaviour is likely to be influenced by moderate windspeeds in the 15-25kmh region, but higher windspeeds above the critical 30km/h threshold may be experienced in some Southern Coastal areas.

“Where fires occur, fire behaviour will be strongly affected by current dead fuel availability.”

Forest owners and managers have been advised by the Department to prepare for “likely outbreaks of fire” and to be “extremely vigilant regarding fire activity”.

This includes reviewing fire plans and fire suppression equipment and making ready any necessary contingencies.

The public has also been asked to be considerate when parking in forest areas and to not impede access by emergency vehicles.

The public has also been reminded that fires should not be lit in or around forests or open lands.

If a fire breaks out at or near a recreational area, no one should attempt to fight the fire under any circumstances.

Everyone should move to a safe location, such as a carpark or an area upwind of the fire.

The fire should then be reported to fire and rescue services via 112 and the public are reminded to cooperate with all emergency service instructions.

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    Mute Murph11
    Favourite Murph11
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    Apr 20th 2023, 1:44 PM

    Does the government secretly export all the rainfall we get. We get 2 fine days in a row and the country turns into a parched tinderbox with fire warnings .

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    Mute Gearóid MacEachaidh
    Favourite Gearóid MacEachaidh
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    Apr 20th 2023, 2:00 PM

    @Murph11: I know it’s mad isn’t it! I was just saying that to someone this morning. We go from unending rain to fire warning in the click of your fingers

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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
    Favourite eoin fitzpatrick
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    Apr 20th 2023, 2:58 PM

    @Murph11: it just isn’t stored properly, we need better water systems. why we aren’t investing in this now is beyond me because drought could become a lot more common in future. i’m not sure investing in water infrastructure wins many votes though.

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    Mute John McAlester
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    Apr 20th 2023, 3:05 PM

    @Murph11: Hose pipe ban can only be days away.

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    Mute Jules
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    Apr 20th 2023, 12:41 PM

    Is that a DUP forest?

    65
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    Mute ვასიკო ნიალლ
    Favourite ვასიკო ნიალლ
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    Apr 20th 2023, 12:55 PM

    @Jules:

    Ulster says: No

    38
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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
    Favourite eoin fitzpatrick
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    Apr 20th 2023, 1:48 PM

    High risk of farmers setting fires. Fixed it for you.

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    Mute Kate Peters
    Favourite Kate Peters
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    Apr 20th 2023, 1:30 PM

    This will be like the dangerous storm’s they tell us,people buy out what bread and milk in the shops,and the Storm is only high winds,even better if it are getting a bit of snow,the whole Country goes into lockdown

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    Mute BLD Games
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    Apr 20th 2023, 4:39 PM

    @Kate Peters: absolutely, it’s as if there is a link between human and sheep. The media is the sheep dog.

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    Mute Gerry Dornan
    Favourite Gerry Dornan
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    Apr 20th 2023, 7:36 PM

    @Kate Peters:
    Toilet paper..

    4
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