Youths 'seen lighting gorse fires' - Belfast Telegraph

Monday, 2 May 2011

A man was reportedly seen with a petrol can close to one of the worst gorse fires for years in the Mourne Mountains, police have said.

Another two youths were spotted lighting fires in south Armagh, reports to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) added.

Hundreds of acres of land are being destroyed, and homes and livestock threatened by fires which have burned for much of the bank holiday weekend in counties Down, Armagh and Tyrone.

PSNI assistant chief constable Gary White said: "The thought that individuals may be deliberately causing such destruction is very hard to comprehend.

"Not only are they putting livestock in danger, and destroying the habitat of wildlife, but as seen in the necessary evacuations in Annalong and the Lenamore Road in Omagh, homes and therefore the lives of residents are being threatened."

Reports of a man being seen with a petrol can close to the youth hostel in Rostrevor, Co Down, on Saturday at around 8pm and two youths lighting fires on Slievegullion Mountain, Co Armagh, at around 7pm on Sunday night are two of the numerous lines of inquiry being investigated by police.

A fire on the Munie road in Ballymena, Co Antrim, around 5pm on Friday evening is believed to be a deliberate ignition. The blaze claimed around 40 acres of gorseland and numerous trees and at one stage a farm house and outbuildings were in danger.

Mr White said: "It might seem fun and a bit of bravado to set a piece of gorse on fire, but with the current weather conditions a small fire can quickly get out of control, change direction and spread rapidly."

In a 24-hour period from midday on Sunday, the fire service received 927 calls and mobilised appliances to a total of 376 incidents. Gorse and grassland fires accounted for 194 of these and, together with the continuing dry spell and windy conditions, the service continues to be extremely busy.

Meanwhile, police in Omagh investigating the spate of gorse fires have apprehended two youths aged 10 and 15 on suspicion of arson in the Aghnagar Road area of Sixmilecross. The matter is being investigated by police and a file will be prepared for the Public Prosecution Service.