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Wildfire warning for Northern Ireland upgraded to amber

Barra Best
BBC News NI weather presenter
PA Media The picture shows five firefighters in tan coloured uniforms tackling a fire on the gorse covered slope of a mountain. Flames, smoke and blackened vegetation are visible above them. PA Media
Firefighters at a fire in the Mourne Mountains in April of this year

An upgraded wildfire warning has been issued for Northern Ireland as a heatwave with temperatures close to 30C (86F) takes hold in the coming days.

A yellow alert from the Natural Hazards Partnership has been upgraded to an amber warning for Saturday and Sunday, indicating a likelihood of difficult to control wildfires.

A combination of dry vegetation and sunny, warm weather creates ideal conditions for wildfires to take hold.

In the Republic of Ireland a red warning for forest fires has been issued. It lasts from 15:00 on Friday until noon on Tuesday 14 July.

In April, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue service dealt with almost 150 wildfires, mainly in County Down.

The organisation previously urged people to enjoy the weather responsibly during a similar wildfire warning in April.

Getty Images A young girl with shoulder-length blonde hair is wearing a white sunhat and white swimsuit, and pink polka-dot heart sunglasses. Someone is applying white sun cream to her face as there are dots on her nose and cheeks. The person applying the sun cream is also holding a pink bottle with a yellow lid of sun cream.Getty Images
There are alerts for high levels of UV and pollen, as well as a rise in pollution

High UV and pollen levels

While tens of thousands of people are expected enjoy the very warm spell during Twelfth demonstrations, the Tyrone and Donegal GAA semi-finals at Croke Park, and at beaches and parks, there are also alerts for high levels of UV and pollen, as well as a rise in pollution.

Hayfever sufferers will have to endure high grass pollen levels until Sunday, with moderate weed pollen levels also forecast.

Pollution levels are set to rise during the settled spell, with moderate levels expected in eastern areas on Saturday and Sunday, while protection from the harmful rays of the sun is also advised as high levels of UV are forecast.

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Foyle Search and Rescue and the Belfast Coastguard have urged those cooling off at beaches and rivers to do so safely.

The coastguard has also advised visiting life-guarded beaches and to be aware of local hazards

MET OFFICE A Met Office weather graphic of a map of the UK with the south of England highlighted in various shades of red which coincide with the temperature colour code at the side. The background is a blue sky with white clouds.MET OFFICE
Temperatures are set to be higher in Northern Ireland on Friday, approaching 30C on Saturday and Sunday

The heatwave can be especially difficult for people with existing health conditions.

Nicole McKelvie has a heart condition that she has to monitor more carefully in heat and also watch her fluid intake.

Nicole McKelvie has long brown hair tied back and is wearing blue scrubs and sitting at a desk with a computer monitor
Nicole McKelvie said she had to be careful in the heat because of her heart condition

"Although you're told to drink more fluids in hot weather, some people with heart failure are on fluid restriction – I am myself," she told BBC News NI.

"So on days when it's hot I would need to try and increase my fluids a bit, but it's a very fine line how much I can increase it by.

"I can enjoy it [hot weather] to an extent, but I could only stay outside so long or in an area that's hot for so long.

"I would need to lie down or just rest, so it's a bit unfair but you adapt and you learn to live with it."

Heatwave conditions

Temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday reached 25C in parts of Northern Ireland and they are set to be higher in places on Friday, approaching 30C on Saturday and Sunday.

For a heatwave to be declared temperatures must reach 25C or above for at least three consecutives days, according to the Met Office.

The average maximum daytime temperature at this time of year is 18.6C in Northern Ireland.

Other parts of the UK have different temperature thresholds to reach in the same amount of time, while in the Republic of Ireland a temperature of 25C must be recorded for at least five days, according to the Irish Meteorological Service, Met Éireann.

High temperature warnings have been issued across the Republic of Ireland, where daytime temperatures are forecast to exceed 27C by day, with overnight lows staying above 15C.

The first warning, affecting 14 midland and eastern counties, comes into effect from midday on Friday until 06:00 local time on Saturday, with a second warning expanding to cover all of the Republic from midday on Saturday until 06:00 on Sunday.

Another warning has been issued from midday on Sunday until 18:00. It affects counties Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Donegal, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Laois, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, and Westmeath.

No plans for a hosepipe ban from NI Water

Maynard Cousley smiling at the camera, he is wearing a blue and white check shirt. Behind him it is sunny and there is a reservoir
Maynard Cousley, from NI Water, said there were no plans to bring in a hosepipe ban at the minute

Water authorities in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have urged members of the public to conserve water during the warm spell.

NI Water has expressed concern that "high temperatures can create a huge demand surge" for water.

Maynard Cousley. senior supply manager at NI Water, said: "Reservoirs are in reasonable shape for the second week of July, but after a few days of temperatures in their low to mid 20s, we see a sudden rise in demand and that puts pressure on our whole distribution network.

"We have people working around the clock to keep people in water and that's what we aim to do."

He added that there had been a rise in demand over the last 24 hours and asked people to "be careful with the water they are using this weekend".

"At this stage we have no plans to introduce a hosepipe ban," he said.

On Thursday, the Republic of Ireland's Uisce Éireann issued an appeal to conserve water amid an ongoing hosepipe ban in County Westmeath.

Both utilities are urging everyone to take steps such as using a watering can instead of hoses, shortening showers, and turning off taps while brushing teeth.