Details on new action plan aimed at reducing wildfires in Northern Ireland

Minister Muir described recent wildfires as having had “devastating consequences”, endangering homes, business and communities as well as habitats

A new action plan has been launched aimed at reducing the threat of wildfires in Northern Ireland.

It comes after a spate of blazes last spring, including firefighters in Northern Ireland dealing with almost 300 wildfires in a single week during April.

These included a blaze in the Mourne Mountains in Co Down which sparked a major incident and saw people evacuated from their homes.

Implementation will include a consortium of international wildfire experts, led by the Catalonia based Pau Costa Foundation focusing on Eastern Mournes, North Antrim Hills and Carn/Glenshane Pass in a project supported by the carrier bag levy.

Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir said the Wildfires Action Plan to 2030 was produced through a multi-agency approach.

It focuses on five main objectives of prevention, preparedness, response, recovery and enforcement, supported by 35 key areas of development aimed to ensure the enhancement of regional capability.

Mr Muir described recent wildfires as having had “devastating consequences”, endangering homes, business and communities as well as habitats.

“The Wildfire Action Plan lays out how we will work together to reduce wildfire risk by implementing specific actions over the years ahead,” he said.

“Its implementation will help make our communities more resilient, by raising awareness of the dangers and providing the tools to adapt to and mitigate wildfire risks.

“The action plan also includes measures to enhance preparedness and capability for response to wildfire incidents, as well as supporting work on climate change adaptation, biodiversity and peatland restoration.”

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) area commander and strategic wildfire lead Ryan Thompson hailed the action plan as a “new approach” to reduce wildfire frequency and severity to help protect lives and the environment, and make Northern Ireland safer.

“We are committed to the strong, unified approach behind the Wildfire Action Plan to ensure our firefighters are ready to respond to incidents in their local areas,” he said.

“With spring beginning, we urge the public to follow our safety advice when visiting the countryside.”

Jordi Vendrell, general director of Pau Costa Foundation, said: “Northern Ireland is highly advanced in wildfire management and strategic planning, and the implementation of projects like this clearly demonstrates that leadership.

“Initiatives of this kind also create an important opportunity to connect knowledge and experience from different parts of Europe, strengthening collaboration and improving how we collectively prevent and respond to wildfire risk.”

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