asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if he is aware of the threat to State forests from fires due to uncleaned fire belts; and when it became his Department's policy to stop cleaning these fire belts.
16.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Forest Fire Precautions.
15.
asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if he is aware of the threat to State forests from fires due to lack of fire belts; and when it became his Department's policy to cease putting firebelts around these forests.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 16 together.
I am only too well aware of the vulnerability of forests to fire damage. My Department operate a comprehensive forest protection programme against fire hazard and the various fire prevention and control measures at each forest centre are kept under regular review. Decisions as to the creation or cleaning of fire belts are taken in the light of cost and potential fire hazard at each forest.
Mr. Moynihan
Would the Minister agree that now that our plantations are fully mature, it is very important that we should protect them from fire? Would he agree also that it is most important that we prevent fire reaching our forests. I have seen examples in my area where fire came to within a matter of feet when it would have cleared hundreds of acres of mature timber? Would the Minister consider ordering his Department to have those fire belts cleared and to provide fire belts around new forests as well?
I would point out to the Deputy that this is a continuing practice. Precaution is taken in relation to the provision of fire belts. That is just one of the precautions taken. For the benefit of the House I should say that fire belts are planted with resistant species normally in order to prevent fires which invariably commence outside of State forests through the careless burning of scrub by individual people who, in many cases, ought to know better. There are provisions for them to do so under controlled conditions. They are aware of those conditions but still they do it. Apart from fire belts, there is the provision of fire lines and breaks, for example, protective and co-operative burning, and counter-fire and screening. All of these are undertaken where appropriate and the forester in charge of each area is the person responsible for that.
I should point out that the vast bulk of forest fires are caused by carelessness on the part of people — in most cases not done deliberately — from outside, people who tend to burn scrub. We have had fairly substantial losses because of such carelessness.
Would the Minister agree that that is not the way in which we should provide such fire belts because on the land about which we are speaking it is impossible to get any fire-fighting equipment which would prevent such fires destroying State plantations?
I would agree with the Deputy that that is the case. For that reason if we do provide precautions such as fire belts, fire lines and fire breaks, we should maintain them in a condition to ensure that they do the job for which they were intended. I would accept that.