Arsonists blamed for gorse fires in North

Gorse fires on Black Mountain in west Belfast and outside Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, were today both believed to have been started deliberately.

Around 12 acres of gorse were destroyed in the Black Mountain blaze yesterday and a further two acres close to the Knockagh Monument near Carrickfergus.

Arsonists were also thought by the Fire and Rescue Service to have been responsible for a blaze which spread across 15 acres of countryside near Dungiven, Co Derry, on Saturday.

The Fire and Rescue Service revealed recently that officers had attended some 900 gorse fires since the start of April – very many of them started deliberately.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Peter Craig has appealed to those responsible to stop. He said they were endangering firefighters and drawing fire crews away from providing fire cover in the towns and villages across the North.