The Donegal Fire Service has assured people they will not receive bills if they report gorse fires.
There have been more than 50 such fires across the county in recent days.
But there are fears that people are not reporting such fires for fear of receiving an invoice for contacting the fire service.
A spokesman told Donegal Daily “This is certainly not the case. This is misinformation. We are urging people not to wait until somebody else reports a fire. You should not depend on other people.
“And we are asking people to call 999 and to ask for the fire service immediately so we can investigate and look after these fires.”
The spokesman said there are currently no gorse fires currently burning in the county at present as of this morning.
Meanwhile, in light of recent gorse fires, the HSE has issued a statement warning people to avoid spending long amounts of time outdoors in areas affected by any smoke or ash.
Smoke levels will change depending on wind conditions so please use personal judgement.
Health Effects of smoke:
Smoke can irritate the air passages, the skin and the eyes. People can have sore eyes, tears, cough and a runny nose.
Symptoms of concern:
A cough that is continuing or worsening
Shortness of breath
Chest pain or tightness
Significant tiredness
If you are concerned that you may need medical care, please contact your General Practitioner (GP)
Who can be affected most by smoke (vulnerable groups)?
Young children, pregnant women, smokers, the elderly, and people with heart or lung conditions, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, COAD and congestive heart failure are more vulnerable to the effects of smoke.
Precautions:
The following is recommended for vulnerable groups when smoke conditions are light to moderate i.e. when indicated by a smoke odour and haziness or visibility that is less than eight km.. The following is also recommended for healthy individuals when smoke conditions are heavy i.e. when visibility is less and are within about four kilometres.
Stay indoors as much as possible with windows and doors closed
Avoid vigorous activity especially outdoors as one usually breathes faster and often through ones mouth when exercising.
Don’t burn anything, including wood, gas and even candles.
Avoid smoking
When in a car, keep the windows and vents closed. If turning on the air-conditioning, please use the “re-circulate” air option.
If asthmatic, keep your treatment inhaler with you.
Ash
These fires may have deposited ash on indoor and outdoor surfaces. This ash can be irritating to the skin, nose and throat. It is recommended that you
• Do not allow children or animals to play in ash
• If handling ash, avoid skin contact
• Wash any home-grown fruits or vegetables before eating
If you require any further media information from HSE Public Health, please contact our local HSE press office, details at www.hse.ie/eng/services/news/media/contact/#reg
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