Firebreaks needed around Killarney National Park

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and landowners around Killarney National Park are to be asked by Kerry County Council to create firebreaks around their properties in the wake of recent, highly destructive wild fires.

Tue, 21 Apr, 2015 - 01:00

Donal Hickey

Upwards of 4,500 acres were destroyed in the national park, on April 9-10, and an air corps helicopter had to be brought in to help extinguish fires in the Ladies’ View and Derrycunnihy areas, which are frequented by tourists.

Serious concerns about risks to human life and property from out-of-control fires, in several parts of Kerry, were highlighted at yesterday’s council meeting in Tralee.

Chief executive Moira Murrell said the Kerry fire service had an exceptionally busy first quarter this year, with 178 fires compared to 111 for the same period last year. There have been 54 gorse fires, up from five last year. There were over 50 gorse and wild land fires in the past week.

“This is a very serious situation for the fire services which are trying to contain the fires and ensure the safety of citizens,’’ she said.

Ms Murrell said the services were stretched and, apart from maintaining essential fire cover in the principal towns, all available resources were directed to gorse and wild land fires.

Cllr Brendan Cronin (Ind) called on the NPWS to live up to its responsibilities in its management of the 26,000-acre Killarney National Park, especially in relation to deer and fire.

In addition to the fire risk, deer were straying outside the park and were “totally infesting’’ some areas, damaging land and crops, he said.