19/02/2003

Firefighters tackle Mourne Mountains blaze

Nearly 40 firefighters were involved in tackling a blaze that engulfed a large section of the Mourne Mountains last night.

The fire, which encompassed a large ridge of grassland, could be seen for several miles.

Crews from Newcastle, Kilkeel, Rathfriland and Warrenpoint were called to deal with the blaze. However, access to the area was initially only possible by foot because of uneven ground and a poor road surface.

Although the fire was eventually extinguished by Wednesday morning, the fire service said it would be monitoring the situation closely.

(MB)

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