Wildfire warning as mercury soars

THE scorching temperatures have sparked wildfire warnings from concerned officials this weekend.

- BY SEAN MURPHY

The Department of Agriculture issued a fire danger notice last Thursday across Ireland and the North's National Hazards Partnership yesterday announced a status yellow warning for wildfires.

This is to be upgraded today to amber for the entire weekend and the North's Fire and Rescue Service urged people to prevent wildfires by not having BBQs or campfires in the countryside and by not discarding cigarettes or matches.

Dangerous gorse fires in Dublin on Wednesday were put out by Rathfarnham Fire Station firefighters, while there were 147 wildfires across the North last month.