Bord na Móna last night made arrangements to provide alternative accommodation for members of the public suffering from poor health or respiratory illnesses, as bog fires raged through Co Longford and Co Roscommon.
Over 500 acres of bogland have been affected by the fires which started before the weekend and tested the emergency services and Bord na Móna over the last four days.
The company took steps to ensure that people with asthma, or similar conditions, were not left to suffer as much of the region was enveloped in a blanket of smoke yesterday. Strong winds saw the smoke travel as far as 10 miles north and resulted in much inconvenience for locals throughout the area.
Yesterday, the worst-affected area was at Cloonshanagh, near Rooskey, Co Roscommon, while the town of Longford was also shrouded in smoke as strong breezes played havoc with efforts to extinguish the flames.
Fire units from Strokestown, Elphin and Roscommon fought the bog fire near Rooskey and last night Kevin Gavin of Bord na Móna accepted that the blaze will need attention throughout the week.
"Two fires in Co Longford at Corlea in Keenagh and Lough Bannow in Lanesboro, are now under control and virtually extinguished, but the Rooskey fire is still taking a lot of work to put out," he said. The Corlea and Lough Bannow blazes were brought under control by four units of Longford fire brigade, who also worked to protect machinery at the bog.
Earlier yesterday, fires at Coolenney and Begnagh, Killashee, Co Longford, were extinguished by fire fighters from Longford.
Mr Gavin praised the co-operation and understanding of the public and said the company was happy to provide temporary accommodation for anyone with health problems exacerbated by smoke inhalation.
Many Bord na Móna workers have been working virtually around the clock all weekend in a bid to bring the fires under control. "The extremely warm weather caused the problem in that it heated up our long peat piles," explained Mr Gavin.
"It is something we are usually able to keep on top of, but this year the extreme heat - plus the strong breezes - saw it get out of control.I would like to pay tribute to our own workers who have worked very hard and hopefully now the weather will not be as warm and we can save the peat and the problem would go away.
"A couple of days rain would work wonders - it is unusual that you hear a Bord na Móna person hoping for rain."
One family was evacuated as a precautionary measure at Derryohill, between Lanesboro and Keenagh, over the weekend. Another man, living alone, was evacuated yesterday from his house near Rooskey, but this was again described as a precautionary measure.
Local resident Lena Spollen of Rooskey said she had a respiratory problem in the past and hoped it would not now return. "At the moment I am closing my windows and hope that will be enough," she said.
Locals also praised the Bord na Móna staff, many of whom have had little or no break since the fires started at the end of last week.
"They have done everything they can to get the fires under control. I think they are operating on little or no sleep and it is obvious they are putting in a huge effort," said one local in Rooskey.