WATCH: Fire smoulders at popular tourist spot as warnings issued across Laois
Laois County Fire & Rescue Service have extended fire warnings across Laois
A popular tourist attraction on the Laois and Offaly border has shared a video of a fire on the site from over the weekend as fire warnings have been extended due to the dry weather.
Derryounce in Portarlington managed to avoid what could have been a disastrous forest fire after a fire began in the woods on Saturday, July 18.
Portarlington Fire Brigade and local volunteers responded quickly to the fire which was believed to have been smouldering through Friday night.
In a post on social media, the Derryounce Experience thanked the firefighters and volunteers for their response to the fire and urged people not to light fires at the site.
“Please obey all signage at Derryounce, especially the No BBQs or naked flames. We are lucky that this fire was caught on time,” they said.
Derryounce Experience also shared footage of the fire in the woods which you can view above.
In the days since the incident, Laois County Fire & Rescue Service have again extended their warning for fires across the county.
The fire service said: “Arising from continued high temperature weather patterns, high fire risk is deemed to exist in all areas where hazardous fuels such as dead grasses and shrub fuels such as heather and gorse exist. Current dry conditions are forecast to continue with further high temperature phases throughout the span of this notice.
“Elevated fire risks are expected in all areas during this period but will be especially focused on eastern regions. With soil moisture deficits increasing there is an added risk of underground peat fires on bogs where fires occur and an increased availability of larger fuel types across all land types.”
Laois County Fire & Rescue Service have continued to urge vigilance in open spaces and people have been warned to not light open fires or barbecues in high risk areas.
The orange warning will remain in effect until midday on Friday, July 24.