Record number of uncontrolled wildfires in 2021

Jimmy Sweetman, Killarney Water Rescue Search and Recover, assessing the fire burning in Killarney National Park. The large fire in April accounted for almost half the damage caused nationally last year. Photo: Valerie O'Sullivan/

More than 3,600 hectares of land were damaged by large wildfires and there was a record number of uncontrolled fires across the country last year.

New figures show a total of 50 large wildfires – each of which damaged at least 30 hectares of land – broke out last year resulting in the destruction of vegetation and wildlife across 3,609 hectares.