Wildfire is an easily preventable threat to our beautiful hills and bogs and the habitats and livelihoods they sustain. Everyone must play their part in protecting our landscapes and supporting our emergency services and ensuring they are not needlessly diverted by illegal fires.
There is a inherent natural risk of fire in our uplands and on bogs at this time of year, due to the condition of vegetation in these area. 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. Both landowners and the wider public, whether they are at work or enjoying the countryside, should be mindful of the significant risks of fire at this time of year and be aware of the damage to land and habitats caused by illegal burning and other accidental and unintentional ignitions. The Department conducts a number of activities annually to monitor and reduce wildfire incidence and outcomes.
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). This Department has no role in regard to prosecutions.
The 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. The Department monitors fire activity and risk throughout the main risk period between March and September, using a variety of means at our disposal, including satellite detections and ground inspections.
The Department has also undertaken a number of awareness measures aimed at reducing the level of illegal ignitions, particularly on farmland, 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. The Department also encourages the safe use of fire by land managers during the open burning season, and provides guidance for doing so.
It is important to note that wildfire ignitions occur from a variety of sources, not just agriculture, and many recent fires have occurred on lands with no associated agricultural activity, including lands used for turf cutting, and public lands with open access used by the public for recreation. Fires associated with illegal dumping on bogland are a particular problem. In 2020, some of the largest and most problematic fires occurred as a result of recreational land user activities.
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. To this end, the 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, McGillicuddy Reeks, Inishowen Peninsula, Connemara, and within the Hen Harrier Project.
The Hen Harrier project is a results-based project, supported by the Department, covering key habitats across a number of different counties. The project has recently developed and implemented a number of specific fire management measures including upland grazing management and support, the development of ponds in high risk areas that can provide water for aerial fire fighting operations, and the safe use of fire as a land management tool by landowners. The project also liaises directly with relevant local fire services in areas where it operates. All of the upland projects involve fire management education and awareness building activities directly with landowners through project agricultural advisors and direct inputs from local fire and rescue services and experts from my Department and Teagasc.
The Department activated its Fire Danger Rating System back in March for the fire season ahead and to date four such Fire Danger Notices notices have been issued, ahead of risk weather phases. I would advise Forest owners and managers to check and update their fire plans and other relevant contingencies such as insurance, firebreaks, access and water points, and private helicopter contracts etc., so as to be prepared well in advance of high fire risk phases. Rural dwellers should also assess wildfire risks to their homes and properties and prepare accordingly. Guidance for this is available from the Office of Emergency Planning “Be Summer Ready” awareness campaign www.gov.ie/summerready.
There has been a very significant increase in the use of outdoor amenities and recreation sites by the public since the onset of Covid-19. This is a very welcome development, however forest visitors are reminded not to light fires or use barbecues, to behave responsibly, observe relevant local bye-laws, observe correct physical distancing practice and to park considerately so as not to impede access of emergency vehicles to incidents.
There is a very firm link in recent years between serious wildfire ignitions and illegal dumping and burning of domestic waste in many areas, and malicious burning at forest amenity sites and turf bogs open to the public. 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. We all have our part to play in protecting our countryside from uncontrolled fires.
Fire warnings can be accessed at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/642e6-forestry/ and https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/forestry/forest-fire-risk/
