Bid to stop illegal gorse fires saves ‘six-figure sum’

A new multi-agency initiative has helped to reduce illegal gorse fires in West Cork — and saved the local authorities a “six-figure sum”.

Under Section 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976, it’s illegal to set fires on farm and hill land from Mar 1 to Aug 31.

However, despite risks such as losses of life or livestock and serious damage to property — especially with high winds if the land is dry — many landowners in areas such as West Cork ignored the regulation.