It all started at around half past 10. We were at Hen, Cock and Pigeon Rock which is a good route with views of the Mourne mountains and the sea. We were walking up a path when we saw smoke in the distance. It wasn't very much so we kept going. It has been unusually dry here, and the top grass was crispy, with squelchy mud underneath. We saw tadpoles in a puddle, but the puddle seemed small.
As we were going up one of the mountains, we saw how much smoke there really was. Soon after that we could see a ring of flames. We weren't close, but we could hear it across the valley. The smoke was starting to block out the sun.
We decided to head back to go on another walk. We were planning to try Bloody Bridge on the other side of the mountains, but as we were driving there, the sky became filled with smoke. We saw six more fires and 12 fire engines. After that we decided to play it safe and go to Tolleymore Forest Park instead. We walked along Shimna River and threw big stones into the deep pools.
I saw later in the news that the fires had continued for many days and had destroyed a huge area, and it said someone probably started them on purpose. The people who look after the forests say it could take decades to recover. I feel sad and angry about the damage that the fires caused to the wildlife.
Witnessing the Blaze
Benjie, eight, described the scene: smoke billowing from fires on the Mourne Mountains, initially seeming minor but quickly escalating. The dry conditions made the grass crispy, with only small puddles for tadpoles.
Aftermath and Reflection
The fires raged for days, devastating a large area. Authorities suspect arson. Recovery may take decades, leaving young Benjie feeling sad and angry about the harm to wildlife.
