FIRES DESTROY HUNDREDS OF ACRES OF SCRUBLAND IN UPLANDS
UP To 16 square kilometres of scrubland in the Wicklow Mountains have been destroyed by wildfires started deliberately.
Natural wildlife habitats, along with flora and fauna, were wiped out as hundreds of hectares between the Wicklow Gap and Ballyknockan were destroyed.
Illegal wildfires swept through the Wicklow Mountains Special Area of Conservation on Wednesday evening and continued burning into Thursday. The emergency services also had to deal with other sporadic fire outbreaks as well.
Photographic evidence revealed a number of fires burning in a row within a small area, leading to the conclusion that the fires were started on purpose.
The fires have caused anger among emergency service members who say that they are putting strain on resources which may be needed in the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, as well as damaging wildlife and posing a risk to human health.
Wicklow’s Chief Fire Officer Aidan Dempsey appealed to the public to desist from starting fires.
He said: ‘Wicklow County Fire Service is issuing an appeal for people not to set hill fires. It is illegal to do so at this time of the year. In the last week hundreds of acres of land across the Wicklow Mountains have been destroyed due to wildland fires. Fire Crews from a number of fire stations have spent many hours fighting these fires with support from colleagues in the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Coillte and the Air Corps. The Department of Agriculture has issued a Condition Orange Fire warning.
‘The Department of Agriculture, fire services and the National Parks and Wildlife Service have all appealed to people, in particular farmers, not to set hill fires at this time.
‘The most recent fires were concentrated in an area along the line of the Wicklow Gap, from Valleymount to Laragh. Helicopters had to be drafted in to help fight the fires and it is impacting the resources of the Parks and Wildlife Service, the fire service, gardaí and the Air Corps.’
On Thursday the Irish Air Corps No. 3 Operations Wing completed 16 drops totally 19,200 litres. Its Bambi Buckets can carry 1,200 litres of water per load.
A representative from National Parks and Wildlife Service said: ‘The fires have caused significant damage to the habitat, but we don’t know the full extent of it yet.
‘Unfortunately these fires are a regular occurrence during the summer months but they should not be happening as they are illegal under the Wildfire Act.
‘A huge effort has been made to bring them under control by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Wicklow Fire Service, Coilte, the Air Corp as well as help we got from private parties.’
The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) has written to three of the largest farm organisations asking for their support in combating illegally set alight fires.
AN IWT spokesperson said: ‘This is just the latest in a series of destructive fires that have become the hallmark of the Irish spring – obliterating nesting birds, insects and natural habitats while releasing vast quantities of smoke and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
‘These fires result in incalculable environmental damage and present a real threat to those living nearby or to those who have to tackle the flames through the destruction of property or the inhalation of noxious fumes. What will it take to end this cycle of mass ecocide?’