Fires burning on Coolmeelagh Hill around 5.30 pm on Wednesday evening. (Pic: Jarlath Judge).

Emergency services are returning to Coolmeelagh Hill this evening after smoke was noticed billowing from part of the forest which escaped destruction thus far.
It is what the fire service call ‘hot spots’ when a forest fire ignites again, and of course, high temperatures have remained and a national warning about gorse fires is on high alert.
Wexford Fire Service were first notified of the Coolmeelagh Hill fire around tea-time on Sunday evening and three appliances, two tankers and 20 personnel were immediately dispatched to the smoking inferno.

Later this evening a helicopter joined in the battle against a forest fire on Coolmeelagh Hill. (Pic; Jarlath Judge).

The fire personnel left the scene on Monday morning at 11 am but returned on Monday evening when a “number of hot spots needed to be tackled.”
Wexford Fire Service is asking the public to be vigilant during the ‘heatwave’ weather and warns people not to light fires, either intentionally or accidentally, due to the extremely dry weather.
People are asked people not to light barbecues outside of designated areas and to always take care when disposing of cigarettes because of the tinder dry nature of vegetation across the county.
If anyone notices smoke they should immediately contact the emergency services on 999 or 112.