Climate crisis exacerbating fires such as Killarney blaze

Climate change has provided an environment that enables small fires to grow out of control, often causing mass destruction, environmental organisation Voice says

Over the weekend, a blaze at Killarney National Park destroyed half of its landmass. Picture: Valerie O'Sullivan

Climate change has provided an environment that enables small fires to grow out of control, often causing mass destruction, an environmental group has said.

Over the weekend, a blaze at Killarney National Park destroyed half of its landmass, while in the Mourne mountains, firefighters spent three days trying to extinguish a gorse fire that spread more than 3.5km across the range.

Lyndsey O’Connell, a spokeswoman for environmental organisation Voice, said climate change “directly impacts” whether or not these fires can take off.

“Rising temperatures means there’s less precipitation, so there’s not as much rainfall, the ground is becoming more dry and more barren and thus more susceptible to fires being started and spreading, unfortunately,” she said.

We understand the knock-on effects of the rising temperatures of the planet and this would be a consequence of it. 

"So if we all do our best to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and our carbon emissions then we are stopping the rising temperatures and mitigating the impacts in the future.” 

The aftermath of the devastating fire in Killarney National Park, a hind Sika deer with her family standing near the entrance of Glaisín na Marbh and the Eagles Nest, along the River Laune. Picture: Valerie O'Sullivan

Ms O’Connell said wildfires are not a new issue, but the frequency and extent of the fires have increased in recent years.

The way in which they are sometimes started is also a consequence of climate change, she added.

“What we’d like to educate people on is not bringing gas to these areas, not starting campfires or being really safe when they do so,” she said.

“As we go to these areas we have to assess how our actions can impact the local environment. Even things like throwing a cigarette down, not disposing of it correctly, and leaving bottles there. The sun catches the glass and that sparks the fire.” 

People don’t even realise that when they are littering in these areas that it could literally start a fire.” 

Ms O’Connell said we are approaching what is known as “silly season”, during which people set small fires in gorse off the side of beaches and in mountains.

“We need people to be a little bit more aware that they’re not just lighting fires to something that's brittle and dry, but that there's a natural habitat that they’re destroying as well,” she said.

“Without the ants, without the bees, without the rabbits, we wouldn’t be here. Humans need to take a step back and recognise our place in the world and realise we need to respect the biodiversity around us and understand we’re part of it as well.”