Minister urges retailers to follow Tesco's lead on barbecue sales

Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, has called on retailers across the country to follow Tesco’s lead and remove disposable barbecues from their shelves during periods of high fire risk.

Speaking over the weekend following Tesco’s decision to withdraw the products across its Irish stores, Minister O’Sullivan commended the supermarket chain for demonstrating strong environmental and community leadership.
The Minister’s call came as emergency services battled two significant wildfires in Wicklow Mountains National Park and Killarney National Park over the weekend. While crews worked relentlessly to suppress the flames in tough conditions, the situation on the ground has since stabilised. However, authorities remain on high alert and continue to urge the public to exercise caution to prevent future outbreaks.
Commending the retailer’s voluntary action, Minister O’Sullivan said:
“I welcome Tesco’s decision to remove disposable barbecues from sale across all of its stores in Ireland. This is a responsible and timely action that demonstrates real environmental and community leadership, and Tesco is to be commended for taking this important step.
“This decision comes at a time when two major wildfires continue to burn. These include one in Wicklow Mountains National Park and another in Killarney National Park, which continues to flare in hot spots and has not yet been fully extinguished. National Parks and Wildlife Service staff, firefighters and other emergency personnel have been working tirelessly for almost three days to bring these dangerous fires under control.
“The current conditions serve as a stark reminder of the devastating impact that fires can have on our landscapes, wildlife, local communities and the dedicated emergency services who respond to them.
“I hope that other retailers will now follow the excellent leadership shown by Tesco and take similar precautionary measures during this period of heightened fire risk. By working together, we can all play our part in protecting the countryside and its wildlife and habitats, supporting our emergency responders and reducing the risk of further devastating fires.”
Environmental authorities and emergency services continue to remind the public that open fires and disposable barbecues should never be used in parks, woodlands, or upland areas.

Rain brings brief relief to fire crews

A short spell of rain on Tuesday morning provided brief but welcome relief for crews monitoring and damping down fire sites in Killarney National Park.

Dedicated NPWS staff, Killarney National Park personnel, Kerry Emergency Services, and Irish Air Corps helicopters worked continuously over the weekend to douse hazardous hot spots in challenging terrain. The affected area around Five Mile Bridge is estimated at 17 hectares, covering dry heath, wet heath, blanket bog, and native oak woodland. Intermittent road closures remain in place along the N71 Killarney to Kenmare Road as monitoring continues.

Photos: Valerie O'Sullivan / NPWS