Firefighters tackle gorse fire near Bray in Co Wicklow

A large gorse fire has broken out near Bray in Co Wicklow.

Five units from Bray, Greystones and Wicklow fire services are at the scene at Carrigoona Commons near Kilmacanogue.

The fire broke out at 9pm on Thursday evening. Fire brigades arrived on the scene before 3am and are still there.

Local resident Declan Mallen said he rang the fire services in the early hours of Friday morning.

“We were woken by the smoke. The sky was orange through the Velux and a neighbour also phoned me.”

He says the whole of the commons is on fire and it may take some time before it is put out.

“There was a gorse fire here 10 years ago, but this is bigger again,” he said.

Dry conditions this month has led to the outbreak of several fires in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains.

The Dublin Fire Brigade tackled two separate gorse fires in the Dublin mountains over the bank holiday weekend.

Eight units attended the fires in Glencullen and Barnacullia on Sunday night, with three fire engines on the scene in Glencullen on Monday morning.

‘The sky was orange,’ says local resident who was woken by smoke in early hours