15/08/2026
Crews from Kildare Fire Service have once again attended a number of wildfires this week, both in the north and south of the county, with multiple brigades required to deal with a series of incidents.
With the extreme heat being experienced across Ireland and Europe, vegetation and agricultural land can become exceptionally dry. Under these conditions, a small fire can develop rapidly into a significant wildfire, placing people, property, livestock and our natural environment at risk.
Wildfires can also require substantial Fire Service resources over prolonged periods. While crews are committed to these incidents, those same resources may be required at road traffic collisions, structural fires, medical emergencies and other serious incidents elsewhere in County Kildare.
⚠️ VISITING FORESTS, BOG WALKS, PARKS OR OTHER RECREATIONAL AREAS❓
♨️Do not light campfires, BBQs or open fires where there is a risk of fire spreading to surrounding vegetation.
🚭Never discard ci******es or matches on the ground – ensure they are completely extinguished and disposed of safely.
🚯Take all litter home, particularly glass bottles and other materials that could contribute to a fire risk.
🅿️Park responsibly and never obstruct forest entrances, access tracks, gateways or emergency access routes. Avoid parking vehicles on long, dry grass where hot exhaust components may ignite vegetation.
☎️Report fires immediately. If you see smoke or fire, move to a safe location and call 112 or 999, giving the clearest possible information about the location.
🚜 ARE YOU AN AGRICULTURAL LANDOWNER & MACHINERY OPERATOR❓
🚜Check machinery before starting work, paying particular attention to overheating, damaged wiring, bearings, belts and other potential ignition sources.
🦾Keep machinery clean. Regularly remove dry grass, straw, dust and crop material from engines, exhaust systems and other hot components.
💧Have a water source available where practicable, particularly during harvesting, cutting or other work in exceptionally dry conditions.
🥵Avoid high-risk work during the hottest and driest periods where possible, particularly where machinery could create sparks or excessive heat.
🌾Check fields and working areas regularly for signs of smoke, smouldering vegetation or fire, including after machinery has moved on.
🚒Maintain access for emergency vehicles. Keep gateways and access routes clear and make sure crews can quickly reach fields and water sources if required.
☎️If a fire starts, call 999 or 112 immediately. Do not put yourself or others at risk attempting to tackle a rapidly developing wildfire. Move machinery, people and livestock away from danger only where it is safe to do so.
🤝 THANK YOU 🤝
During these incidents, our Kildare crews have worked alongside brigades from both Laois and Carlow County Fire & Rescue Services and Dublin Fire Brigade.
Wildfires do not recognise county boundaries, and incidents of this scale demonstrate the importance of strong cross-border, interoperability and resilience between neighbouring Fire Authorities.
The ability of services to work seamlessly together, share resources and support one another during periods of high operational demand is invaluable and helps ensure an effective response when communities need it most.
We also extend our sincere thanks to Kildare Civil Defence and Carlow Civil Defence for their assistance during one of these incidents.
The provision of thermal-imaging drone technology gave incident and Sector commanders valuable information to support operational planning, identify areas of concern and assist crews in bringing the incident to a successful close.
This is another excellent example of the value of cooperation between various agencies, statutory and voluntary.
👏 Thank you to all Fire Service personnel, Civil Defence volunteers and partner agencies involved in these incidents.👏
We are asking everyone to remain vigilant during this period of hot, dry weather and help keep our communities safe.
Please enjoy our rural and recreational areas responsibly, take additional precautions when working on agricultural land, and if you see a fire, call 999 or 112 immediately.
Kildare County Council
An Garda Síochána Kildare
Kildare Civil Defence
Laois County Fire & Rescue Service
Carlow County Fire & Rescue Service
Dublin Fire Brigade
Agriland.ie
Agri Aware
National Parks and Wildlife Service
Fire Safety Ireland
