Holly Cairns
Question:2094. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions that he is taking to address illegal gorse fires; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40779/22]
View answerTuesday, 26 July 2022
Questions (2094)
Written answers
The burning of vegetation is controlled by the Wildlife Acts. It is an offence under Section 40 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (amended by Section 46 of the Wildlife Act, 2000) to burn, from 1st March to 31st August in any year, any vegetation growing on any land not then cultivated. Individuals who are found to burn vegetation within that prohibited period are liable to prosecution by An Garda Síochána or by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). My Department has no role in regard to prosecutions.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine however, conducts a number of activities annually to monitor and reduce wildfire incidence and outcomes. My Department has issued reminders to all landowners in relation to illegal burning of agricultural lands, and any land found to have been burned illegally can be deemed ineligible across a number of area-based schemes.
It should be noted that there is an inherent natural risk of fire in our uplands and on bogs in spring, due to the condition of vegetation in these areas. Upland grasses, heather and gorse are highly flammable in spring when the weather is dry. In the right conditions, any ignition, for any reason, can give rise to wildfires.
The farming community has a central role to play in the control of fire in our landscapes through the management of land, and the reduction and maintenance of fire prone vegetation (such purple moor grass, heather, and gorse/whin) as potential fuels in high fire risk areas. Fuels reduction is one of the central pillars of fire management and the work of farmers is critical to this.
To this end, my Department supports a number of locally-led schemes under the EIP-AGRI measure that in turn support the implementation of fire management activities on the ground including vegetation management activities.
Projects of this type are now in place in many of the main fire risk locations in Ireland, including the Blackstairs Mountains, Wicklow Mountains, Comeraghs, McGillicuddy Reeks, Inishowen Peninsula, Connemara, and within the Hen Harrier Project.
My Department also monitors fire activity and risk throughout the main risk period between March and September, using a variety of means at our disposal, including satellite detection and ground inspections.
My Department has also undertaken a number of awareness measures aimed at reducing the level of illegal ignitions and in ensuring that affected sectors are fully prepared for fire outbreaks
where these occur.
This includes the provision of Fire Danger Rating Notices to relevant sectors and Departments to ensure that the correct level of preparedness is maintained throughout the fire season.
My Department activated its Fire Danger Rating System back in March of this year for the fire season ahead and to date eight such Fire Danger Notices have been issued, ahead of high fire risk weather phases. Fire warnings can be accessed at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/642e6-forestry/ and www.teagasc.ie/crops/forestry/forest-fire-risk/
The Department asks all countryside users to be vigilant, to report any suspicious activity to An Garda Síochána, and to report any uncontrolled or unattended fires immediately to the Fire and Emergency Services via 112/999 service.