Following the devastating fire across the Mourne Mountains, local Alliance councillor and South Down Constituency Representative, Patrick Brown, commented:
“The shocking scenes of the major fire across the Slieve Donard area have brought sadness and considerable concern to people across the District, Northern Ireland and beyond. My thanks go to the firefighters and emergency service personnel who have heroically tackled this blaze and managed to scale the incident down, bringing safety to the area.”
“These fires aren’t just the result of human error or willful ignorance; they are in no small part fuelled by inaction and failure to tackle climate change and respect our natural environment.
We urgently need a plan that brings together key decision makers and the local community to protect the Mournes.”
“I, like many others, am deeply troubled to see the devastation these fires have caused. The Mourne Mountains are a shining jewel in the local tourist crown, and I hope the damage caused to local wildlife and biodiversity is not too severe, allowing them to recover quickly.”
“It is crucial that moving forward, more is done to protect the area, mitigate the chance of this happening again and ensure residents feel safe and secure. I will be appealing to Council and other agencies to see what additional steps we can take to safeguard the Mournes and Newcastle residents after this incident.”
ENDS
CLANRYE NEWS 