The Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service has issued a condition red extreme risk forest fire warning this week.

Ray Ryan reports on efforts to plan ahead for the risk of forest fires, which have caused huge damage to Irish woodlands in recent years.

The Indonesian government has punished 23 companies for causing forest fires that spread thick, smoky haze around Southeast Asia, an official said yesterday.

Greek firefighters battled large bush and forest fires on the outskirts of Athens and in Greece’s southern Peloponnese region, where flames forced the evacuation of at least three villages and two summer camps.