A major fire that erupted in dense forest in Wicklow overnight was almost extinguished by late this afternoon.
Chief Fire Officer for Wicklow Fire Service Aidan Dempsey said that the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Coillte are damping down the remains of the fire in Crone Wood.
"We're hopeful that the worst is over," he said.
The fire service was alerted to the blaze at 1am, but by 6am they were having difficulty containing the fire and Mr Dempsey said they put in a request with the Air Corps for assistance.
"A lot of the fires in Wicklow in the past would have been in low vegetation. This was a fire in mature forest.
"There was flames 30/40 feet in the air, which are impossible to fight from the ground," explained Mr Dempsey.
Firefighters in Co Wicklow are tackling a fire at Crone Woods near Glencree. Crews from Bray, Greystones and Blessington stations are being assisted by colleagues from Coillte. An Air Corps helicopter was also been deployed from Baldonnell to help. | More: https://t.co/KTchzEPZnY pic.twitter.com/Yyntruf8cs
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) July 19, 2022
The Air Corps conducted 11 drops of 1,100 litres each this morning before returning to Baldonnell. They dropped water from Lough Bray onto the fire for about two hours.
A private helicopter employed by Coillte took over from the Air Corps and Mr Dempsey said they were still working to put out the remains of the fire this afternoon.
The exact size of the fire has yet to be determined, but Mr Dempsey said: "It was extensive and it was the worst fire we've had in a couple of years."
The area where the fire occurred is known locally as Crone Wood and it is part of the Wicklow Way.
"It is a mature forest that is very close to the Powerscourt Waterfall," added Mr Dempsey.
Rain is forecast for the area tonight, but it is hoped the fire will be put out before then.
In a statement, a spokesperson from Coillte said the cause of the blaze had yet to be determined.
Meanwhile, Dublin Fire Service extinguished a grass fire in Tolka Valley Park earlier today.
Firefighters from Finglas extinguished grass on fire in Tolka Valley Park earlier this morning.
— Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) July 19, 2022
The country is under a condition orange fire warning, meaning vegetation is easily ignited and fire spread is rapid.
To help prevent wildfires visit https://t.co/jaO2FSbSrO pic.twitter.com/lMyY0gnJAQ
Additional reporting: Colman O'Sullivan
