LONDON (AP) — Firefighters in Northern Ireland have been tirelessly working to control and extinguish a significant fire that swept through expansive forest land in the southeastern region of the province overnight. This alarming incident comes as concerns grow regarding the unusually warm and dry weather that has been affecting the United Kingdom as a whole.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service initiated a major incident declaration at precisely 11:53 p.m. on Saturday night, mobilizing more than 100 brave firefighters along with 14 specialized pieces of firefighting equipment. The fire occurred in a rural area just outside the community of Hilltown, which is located within the picturesque Mourne Mountains. By the early hours of Sunday morning, firefighters had successfully brought the blaze under control, but the situation remains precarious due to ongoing weather conditions.

Initial reports from the fire service indicate that the fire is believed to have been deliberately ignited. This troubling trend follows a troubling announcement made by authorities in Northern Ireland on March 28, which condemned a recent series of deliberately set wildfires across the region. Andrew Muir, the minister for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, expressed serious concerns regarding the implications of these actions. In his statement, he highlighted the dangers posed not only to the perpetrators themselves but also to others, including the dedicated fire service personnel and various emergency services that respond to such crises.

“People lighting these fires may be putting their own and others’ lives at risk including the fire service personnel and other emergency services tasked to deal with them,” Muir emphasized, urging the community to take heed of the potential consequences of such reckless behavior.

Across the United Kingdom, firefighters remain on high alert this weekend, especially due to the heightened risk of wildfires that has arisen from the recent spate of warm spring weather. This situation has prompted various authorities to take preventative measures. For instance, police in Scotland have advised local residents and visitors to steer clear of the Loch Down area in East Ayrshire, where a significant wildfire is currently raging in the southwestern part of Scotland.

In addition to the fire in Northern Ireland, a number of other wildfires have also been reported on Bodmin Moor, located in Cornwall, southwestern England. This has led the Devon and Cornwall police to urge travelers to avoid the region altogether, as they have closed several roads in the Bolventor area to facilitate the ongoing efforts of firefighters battling the flames.

As the risk of wildfires continues to escalate across the UK, community vigilance and adherence to safety guidelines become ever more crucial. Both firefighters and local officials are calling for heightened public awareness and responsibility to mitigate the risks posed by both natural and human-induced fires.