Call for probe into role of rhododendron in Killarney National Park fire

It comes after a previous call for a national plan to combat the so-called "smiling assassin" which, say many conservationists, in fact a "death warrant" to the patches of the countryside it invades

While it may appear beautiful and picturesque, the rhododendron is in fact a "death warrant" to the patches of the countryside it invades, according to many conservationists.  Picture: Dan Linehan

Environmentalists are calling for an independent investigation into the role that dead rhododendron played in helping fuel last month's Killarney National Park fire. 

Both the Killarney Nature Conservation Group (KNCG) and Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) say they believe the fire was fuelled by "an accumulation of" standing and cut dead rhododendron.