More than 3,400 hectares damaged as record number of wildfires in Ireland last year

The season for wildfires in Ireland is believed to be linked to the practice of illegal agricultural burning, particularly of gorse and heather in upland areas. File Picture: Denis Minihane

More than 3,400 hectares of land were damaged by large wildfires last year as the number of uncontrolled fires in the Republic reached record levels.

New figures show a total of 69 large wildfires — each of which damaged at least 30 hectares of land — were recorded around the country during 2022.