Slieve Beagh: Third of conservation site damaged in wildfire

About a third of Slieve Beagh has been damaged due to a cross-border wildfire, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has said.The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) received a report of a fire in Clogher, County Tyrone on Wednesday, which then spread into County Monaghan on Thursday.As a Special Protection Area (SPA) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Slieve Beagh is home to the endangered hen harrier and intact blanket bog habitat.Fifty firefighters with ten appliances are still tackling the blaze, but the NIFRS said it has been contained.
The multi-agency response which is led by NIFRS is supported by NIEA and the Forest Service.All-terrain vehicles with portable pumps have also been deployed to bring the situation under control.This weekend an amber warning for wildfires has been issued for Northern Ireland.A yellow warning from the National Hazards Partnership, external is also in place on Friday but this will be upgraded for Saturday, Sunday and Monday.Dry vegetation and brisker winds conditions create an ideal for wildfires to happen.
What is a SPA and a SAC?
In Northern Ireland, a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) has increased protection under the Conservation Regulations 1995. The protection is granted if the area contains special habitats or species that are at risk.It also aims to safeguard biodiversity at both national and international levels.A Special Protection Area (SPA) is a site which is designated to protect rare, threatened or vulnerable bird species and regularly occurring migratory species.They are often located in coastal or marine areas.

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