Wildfires spread across the Morne Mountains near the northern Irish capital, Belfast. For days, emergency services have been trying to put out the fire. It has now reached historic proportions.

A large wildfire is spreading in Northern Ireland. More than 100 firefighters and other emergency services were busy over the weekend to contain the blaze, which began Friday morning in the Morne Mountains, about 50 kilometers south of the capital, Belfast.

The Northern Irish Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) declared the fire a serious incident on Saturday and again on Sunday asked people to stay away from the area. Sleeve Donard is the highest mountain in Northern Ireland, at about 850 m.

The biggest encounter of the year

On Sunday afternoon, the NIFRS put out the fire as progress was made against the blaze. There were 40 firefighters on site at the time. The agency expects the operation to be completed within a few hours. Northern Ireland Health Minister Robin Swann thanked the fire brigade.

Firefighters suffocate the flames: The cause of the fire is still unclear. (Source: Jason Kindoff / Reuters)

Northern Irish Environment Minister Edwin Boots spoke about the fire that broke out in a large area and above all in flora and fauna. It will take years to reclaim the area. Authorities say Northern Ireland, part of Great Britain, is experiencing the largest wildfire in recent memory. The cause of the fire is not yet clear.