Fire near Mitchelstown

A large fire has been reported near Mitchelstown in Co. Cork this evening.

Fire crews from Cork and Tipperary are said to be dealing with blaze.

Fire crews from #Cork and #Tipperary are dealing with a large fire on Galtee Mountains near #Mitchelstown this evening

— Eoin English (@EoinBearla) April 22, 2015

Reports are still coming in on social media but no official statements have been issued on the fire and the cause is not yet known.

@Irishwildlife Mitchelstown gorse fire pic.twitter.com/LNymlFifTT

— Bill (@BilliamMUFC) April 22, 2015

Gorse fires have caused extensive damage in Ireland this year.

Recent appeals were made not to set illegal gorse fires, which are banned by The Wildlife Act from March 1 to August 31.

Fires spread on the Kerry mountains last weekend, and thousands of acres were damaged in Killarney National Park and surrounding areas earlier this month which required Air Corp helicopter to help extinguish the fire.