PHOTOS: Irish beach evacuated as fire breaks out on sand dunes

A high fire risk is in effect across the country.

People in Wexford have been asked to avoid Curracloe Strand following the outbreak of fire on the sand dunes on Sunday. The beach, famous for being the site where a crucial scene in Saving Private Ryan was filmed, has been evacuated and roads entering the area are blocked as emergency services attend to the scene. Wexford Civil Defence have urged anyone in the vicinity to stay away for now. Image credit: Surf Shack Curracloe / Facebook "Crazy dune fires on the beach this morning, surf lessons are off for the day," wrote the Surf Shack Curracloe's official Facebook page. "Beach is being evacuated as we speak and roads are all blocked to enter Curracloe." Image credit: Barry Dempsey / Twitter Extreme vigilance has been advised nationwide, with a high fire risk in effect until Wednesday. The warning, which has arisen from preceding drought conditions, remains "in all areas where hazardous fuels exist." A Fire Risk condition is likely to be moderated on a localised basis by scattered light rain, cooler temperatures and higher ambient humidity levels in many areas. Ireland's agricultural areas as well as eco-systems have suffered greatly at the hand of the recent heatwaves which saw less than 5% rainfall than previously expected for the Irish summer months. It was believed that the end of Ireland's heatwave was nigh following the past few days of cooler temperatures, but it seems a warm front is set to develop in the middle of next week with highs of low to mid-twenties forecast as the mercury rises once more.