Fires destroy €7.5m of forests

ABOUT €7.5 million worth of forest has been destroyed by the fires of the last week.

A total of 985 hectares (2,400 acres) worth about €5m and managed by Coillte has been wiped out, with Donegal and the Galway-Mayo area worst hit.

Private forests worth about €2.5m have also been lost to fire.