Wicklow County Council has urged the public to stay away from Bray Head as firefighters continue efforts to fully extinguish a major gorse fire in the area. Although the blaze is now under control, officials warned that some sections are still smouldering and could reignite, creating dangerous conditions for walkers and visitors.
In a statement issued on Friday, the council confirmed that crews from Bray Fire Service remain at the scene carrying out damping down operations. Authorities stressed that members of the public should avoid the area and not put themselves at risk while emergency services continue their work.
The wildfire broke out on Thursday following several days of hot and dry weather across the region. Firefighters from Bray and Greystones battled the flames with support from Civil Defence drone teams, which helped monitor the spread of the fire from above. The incident was one of several gorse fires reported throughout Wicklow this week as the warm weather increased fire risks across the county.
According to Wicklow County Council, emergency crews have dealt with numerous outbreaks in recent days, including multiple fires on the Sugarloaf Mountain. Firefighters were called to the popular hiking area on three separate occasions. Additional fires were also reported in Greystones, Rathdrum, Aughrim, Baltinglass, Bray and Wicklow Town.
The situation in Wicklow coincided with significant wildfire activity in Dublin, where Dublin Fire Brigade has been tackling large gorse fires in the Bohernabreena and Glassamucky areas near Piperstown Road since the early hours of Thursday morning. Five fire engines and more than 20 firefighters were deployed to combat the blaze, with a water tanker assisting operations.
Dublin Fire Brigade revealed that strong winds created dangerous “whirling vortices” during firefighting efforts, making conditions more challenging for crews on the ground. Smoke from the fires spread across parts of Dublin city, while residents in nearby areas, including Tallaght, reported a strong smell of burning throughout the day.
Authorities advised residents affected by smoke to keep windows and doors closed despite the warm temperatures. Firefighters also warned the public not to travel to affected areas or fly drones near the scene, as this could interfere with emergency operations and place crews at additional risk.
