Horses rescued as Ballygawley blaze threatened nearby homes

A GORSE fire that started Tuesday evening quickly escalated into a 1.7-mile blaze, forcing locals and livestock to flee for safety in Ballygawley.

As fire crews battled the flames, local resident Padraig McMahon described the terrifying proximity of the fire to his home.

“I was at work when I had a load of calls coming in from my wife and the fire brigade who were warning us about what was going on,” Mr McMahon said.

“At that point the fire came into the back of our house and I had five or six horses between the stables and the field. The fire was about ten metres away from our house so I had to go and get the horses out and move them somewhere else.”

In a frantic move, Mr McMahon managed to evacuate his horses, seeking refuge in a nearby field. “So I got them all out and I went to the first person I seen, who happened to be my neighbour, and asked if I could keep my horses in their field for the night,” he explained.

“It was definitely scary here on Tuesday evening.”

By Wednesday, the fire had largely been contained, and Mr McMahon was able to return his horses to their stables

Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) responded to 330 emergency calls on Tuesday, 41 of which involved wildfires. A NIFRS spokesperson urged continued vigilance, noting a yellow warning for wildfires remains in place. “Please follow our fire safety advice and stay vigilant to the risk of fire in the countryside. If you see a fire, please call 999 immediately,” the spokesperson advised.