Gorse Fire

Video: R287 between Dromahair and Sligo remains closed as efforts continue to fight fire

News reporter

Reporter:

News reporter

Sligo County Council have issued an update in relation to the gorse fire at Killerry mountain on the Sligo/Leitrim border which covers an approximate are of 4,000 acres.

The R287 road from Dromahair to Sligo remains closed and will remain closed until it has been deemed safe for it to re-open.

Two houses were protected from the blaze last night with the Coast Guard helicopter deployed to assist with efforts in containing the fire.

An update issued by Sligo County Council said, "All four Sligo stations are committed (approximately 42 operational personnel) – we are currently rotating the crews from and to the incident – while providing standby crews to ensure fire cover in Sligo and the outer stations."

Neighbouring brigades are not in attendance at the moment but overnight crews from Leitrim and Donegal provided assistance.

Dramatic videos and images of the fire were posted online which give an indication of the scale of the fire.

It's a scary sight from a distance, thoughts are with the fire fighters out there tackling the blaze. #sligo #ireland #ire #wildfire #fire #landscape

A post shared by CONDOH Photography (@condohphoto) on

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Gorse fire blazes near Ballintogher in Co. Sligo. Photo taken from the shoreline at Hazelwood. #sligo #fire

A post shared by Robert Cullen (@cullenster) on