Watch: 'Challenging night' for Coast Guard amid intense Donegal mountain wildfire

An intense wildfire was spotted at around 5pm on Sunday April 6, on a hill to the rear of a number of homes in a Donegal Town.

By 3am on Monday morning of April 7, the wildifire spread over the mountainside at Barnesmore in Donegal and had intensified and worsened overnight.

A large ring of fire was clearly visible, adding to the huge challenge faced by fire crews battling to bring the blaze under control.

It's remote path meant that conditions are difficult and dangerous for the firefighters who are facing into a long night as they try to bring the inferno under control.

Firefighters are being assisted by the Coast Guard helicopter crew, who are collecting water from a nearby mountain lake and dropping it onto the flames.

Shout-out to skills of helicopter pilot scooping sea-water to quench wildfire on Knockalla Mountain, Donegal. And to beaters working tirelessly to save wild-life on our lovely mountain. pic.twitter.com/h7s39oD33B

— Anne Cadwallader #truth #justice #humanrights (@AnneCadwallader) April 7, 2025

It spread quickly, leaving people fearful of damage to property, but thankfully a change in the direction of the wind brought it away from homes which at one point had been just yards from the flames. 

READ NEXT: 'No words' - Tributes paid after young Irish woman dies unexpectedly in Spain

With gorse igniting and sending sparks into the wind, the fire continued to spread at an alarming speed,  leaving only charred hillside in it's wake. Lines of flames snaked over the summit, spreading to the other side of the hill and into ever more remote landscape. 

Parts of this area are used for grazing sheep, and it is not yet clear if there has been any loss of animals. There are also concerns for the welfare of wildlife.