Extensive county Longford fire 'brought under control'

Fire service units from Longford, Granard and Edgeworthstown, who were battling a large blaze at Cloonaugh Bog, Gobadorish and Bohey bog, have brought it under control.

The extensive 500 acres bog fire started on Sunday afternoon at around 4pm and it was brought under control early on Monday afternoon.

Rising temperatures and low levels of rainfall during the past seven days have led to a the risk of wild fires increasing significantly.

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It is understood there no indication that the fire was started deliberately.

Local Fine Gael Senator Paraic Brady said there had been a lot of concern and there is now significant relief.

"There is thousands of euro worth of timber there and if it got into it it would have destroyed livelihoods.

"There is a lot of forestry in the area."

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Senator Brady stated between the woodland, the high ground and the low ground and the shrubbery around it the area would be in excess of 500 acres.

"There are three parishes, Gubadorish, Bohey bog and Cloonaugh."

Senator Brady said there is relief because once a fire ignites and spreads in an area nobody knows where it will end up.

"There are houses that would not be that far away from sone of those houses," he added.