Fire service still in attendance at forest fire near M6

Westmeath Fire and Rescue Service crews remain in attendance at the scene of a significant forest fire in the Milltownpass area, adjacent to the M6.

In a statement this afternoon, a Westmeath County Council spokesperson said: "The situation remains unchanged. Crews from Mullingar and Kilbeggan Fire Brigades are back on site today dealing with hot spots and smouldering areas in an effort to prevent the fire from escalating again.

"The incident is currently under control and crews will continue to monitor and dampen down affected areas as required."

A spokesperson at Mullingar Fire Station confirmed that members of the service were still working to control the situation three days after the forest fire started.

Fire crews from Mullingar Fire Station and Kilbeggan Fire Station initially responded to the incident shortly after 9am on Monday of this week and have since been working alongside partner agencies to bring the fire under control.

Statement issued yesterday

A statement issued yesterday, Tuesday, by Westmeath County Council said the firefighting operation has been supported by Bord na Móna, Executive Helicopters and Civil Defence, "whose drone capability provided valuable aerial support in monitoring conditions and directing resources during the incident".

"The fire is currently under control. However, large areas continue to smoulder and Westmeath Fire and Rescue Service crews are in attendance again today carrying out dampening-down operations and monitoring for any potential flare-ups.

"Crews from Mullingar Fire Station remain at the scene as these operations continue," the local authority stated.

The M6, which closed for a period of time on Monday between Junction 2 (Kinnegad) and Junction 3 (Rochfortbridge), has since reopened.

"The M6 is currently open to traffic, but motorists are encouraged to remain aware of ongoing emergency service activity in the area and to follow any traffic management measures that may be in place," Westmeath County Council added.

The local authority also thanked all responding agencies for their "assistance, professionalism and co-operation throughout the incident".

"The Service also thanks members of the public for their patience and understanding while emergency operations continue," the council statement concluded.