Wildfires brought under control in Killarney; estimated cost of damage €10,000

The Irish Wildlife Trust has logged almost a dozen large wildfires since Tuesday, raging from the Blackstairs Mountains to the Beara Peninsula and from the Knockmealdowns to Killarney National Park, and says most occurred in special areas of conservation.

Firefighters had to to hike up hills with heavy equipment after a huge fire broke out at the Tomies, on the westernmost edge of the 10,000 hectare Killarney National Park late on Wednesday.

They used hand-held beaters to turn the fire which was only brought under control early yesterday morning when rain saved the service from having to call in the army air corps helicopter, which had been on standby since Thursday morning.