A major wildfire in Co Tipperary has spread to the adjacent Coillte forest, and the public has been urged to steer clear of the area.
A mountain blaze in Co Tipperary spread yesterday to a forestry plantation on the Slievenamon mountain.
According to The Journal, the fire was first reported to the emergency services around 8.45am on Monday 20 July.
Tipperary Fire and Rescue Service have maintained their presence in the area to monitor the situation.
Fire and rescue services are focusing their attention on that area to prevent the fire from spreading further.
Tipperary County Council said in a statement that due to the change in wind direction, the wildfire has spread to the Coillte forest.
Residents living downwind of the fire have been advised to keep their windows and doors closed. Vulnerable groups, including older people and those with respiratory conditions, have also been urged to take extra precautions.
The public has been urged to steer clear and to avoid non-essential travel to the area.
They have also been urged to refrain from operating drones as this can impact the emergency response and interfere with aerial firefighting operations.
The Council added via The Journal that the "cooperation of the public is “greatly appreciated and remains essential to ensuring the safety of emergency personnel and the effectiveness of firefighting operations”.
Pat Neville, Communications Manager at Coillte, said last night via RTÉ that the fire had progressed "significantly through the forest...despite the best efforts of crews on the ground and supported by a helicopter."
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he confirmed that efforts will be underway this morning to continue to contain the spread.
"Our crews, our staff and contractors remain deployed on site this morning," he said.
Neville said that it was "too early" to assess the damage to the forest and that their main focus was containing the fire.
Neville said that conditions at any active wildfire can change rapidly, and that ground crews, supported by a helicopter, would be working tirelessly to bring the blaze under control.
He added that protecting public safety and property remains the top priority for everyone involved in the response.
"Tipperary fire service are continuing to assess the risk to nearby properties and communities and they will deploy resources accordingly. If there's any immediate risk that requires public action, the relevant emergency authorities will communicate directly with the affected communities," Neville said.
