Plea to landowners as gorse fires rage
The Wildlife Act bans such burning between March 1 and August 31, but fire brigades have been called to almost 100 fires started on hills and uplands in Kerry in the past week.
Yesterday, brigades from Listowel, Ballybunion, Killarney, Caherciveen, Sneem, and Killorglin were attending fires in their areas.
On Friday, a raging gorse fire on Mangerton mountain, at the edge of Killarney National Park, threatened woodlands and left climbers and walkers stranded for several hours.
It was the second such fire on Mangerton in a week. Flames leaped 40ft into the air, with thick smoke being blown over a wide area. Four units of the fire service in Kerry fought the blaze for up to eight hours.
Nature lovers have warned about damage to wildlife habitats and also pointed out the bird-nesting season was underway.
Tralee fire station officer Nigel Corner said nearly all of the gorse fires are started deliberately. While the fire service had issued continuous appeals to the public, farmers and landowners not to burn vegetation on uncultivated ground, people were still starting fires.
“The vegetation and the ground are extremely dry at present. In these conditions, especially when there’s a wind as well, fire can spread very rapidly and get out of control.”
He said the county’s fire service had been virtually working round the clock over the past week and was severely stretched.
Fire chiefs have warned that as so many of their resources are now dealing with such fires, which generally occur in outlying areas, fire tenders could be delayed getting to major emergencies and traffic accidents in other areas.
Meanwhile fire units in Co Galway fought a major bog fire near the town of Mountbellew on Saturday.
Units from Mountbellew and Ballinasloe tackled the blaze in a large area of bog.
It was one of several similar incidents throughout Co Galway over the past week.
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