INISHOWEN’S fire service was seriously stretched
last Friday as a huge gorse fire raged through the
Noone’s Bridge area of Moville threatening homes and
a large pine forest.
Three local appliances - from Moville, Carndonagh
and Buncrana – and one from Derry, were tasked to
the scene around 4.45pm and worked tirelessly for
some hours to get the blaze under control.
Residents in the Terryrone area, whose houses were
in the path of the fire, rallied around and used
agricultural equipment to spray water and prevent
the blaze reaching their homes.
There were also fears the fire would spread to a
nearby Coillte pine forest as strong breezes whipped
up the flames in the hot sunshine.
Donegal chief fire
officer Bobby McMenamin said the local crews were
“seriously stretched” on the day.
“This fire drew three units down to one particular
area of Inishowen leaving only one left in Buncrana
if anything else went wrong,” said Mr McMenamin.
The fire chief added: “Conditions were rife that day
for the spread of fire with a strong, consistent
breeze and very dry undergrowth.” He said the fire
was eventually brought under control around 7.30pm
and he praised the Terryrone residents for their
intervention.
In a separate incident, Mr McMenamin said two
appliances tackled a smaller gorse fire at Muinneagh,
Linsfort, on Tuesday, from 11.50am to 12.49pm.
Meanwhile, fire tenders
from Letterkenny, and Buncrana joined Coillte
personnel in tackling a major blaze at a Coillte
forest at Dooish Hill between Newtown and St
Johnston on Monday. The operation lasted over eight
hours and was finally brought under control shortly
before 11pm.
Mr McMenamin said he would be glad to see the
arrival of the rain that has been forecast by Met
Eireann.
“We will be glad to see a drop of rain to dampen
things down and get a bit of new growth,” he said.
