Space agency reveals damaging effects of Kerry’s gorse fires

AN analysis of data from an European Space Agency Satellite has shown increased Nitrogen Dioxide in the air above counties Kerry and Cork as a result of gorse fires in recent weeks.

Scientists from NUIG, who are using the European satellites to collect data for environmental purposes, ‘accidentally’ came across the increased level of Nitrogen Dioxide over Cork and Kerry and believe it is directly linked to gorse fires that blazed across the county.

Following last week’s stern warning from Kerry County Council and the fire service about the impact of the blazes which were condemned across the board by councillors and CEO Moira Murrell, this week heralded a reduction in the number of gorse fires.

Last weekend Killarney Fire Service attended only three such calls in Anabla, Kilcummin and Muckross and there were similar reductions across the county according to local fire crews.

The reduction comes amid the warning from scientists at the Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC) at NUIG who analysed the data from satellites for environmental purposes.

“We had been seeking to see if reduction in pollutants due to COVID-19 but we unexpectedly saw the spikes in emission from rural areas,” explained Earth Observation Computational Scientist Sita Karki, Ph.D.

“Upon the investigation we found that there were fires around those dates on those areas that is why came to that conclusion,” she added.

She added that the data was released to raise awareness and to warn farmers that satellites can detect these fires.

“Farmers might think it is okay to burn fires but they can be detected by the satellites.”

She added increased Nitrogen-Dioxide is a side-effect of these fires and has an effect on air quality and will hinder meeting climate change targets as it is a green-house gas.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) also says that such gas can have an effect on health including conditions like such as asthma and other lung conditions when there is an increased presence of such gases.

The data was collected from the Sentinel-5P mission which was launched in late 2017 and information from this will be further examined in the future in terms of both Nitrogen-Dixoide in the air and other gas emissions.

Station officer at Killarney Fire station, Paudie Mangan, welcomed the reduction in gorse fires and said the message hit home with farmers. The rainy weather has also added to the reduction in the number of gorse fires.

“The fires this weekend were minor. I think the message is being heeded. The warning has paid off,” said Mr Mangan.