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EXCLUSIVE

By Sean Moriarty

Killarney Fire and Rescue Service is reporting a reduction in the number of gorse fires it has attended in recent weeks.

The months of March and April is the traditional gorse burning season as farmers, sometimes illegally, try to burn off last winter’s foliage and allow for new spring growth.

In recent years these fires have burnt out of control, putting people and lives at risk as firefighters could spend days in the mountains trying to control blazes. Wildlife, especially nesting birds, are badly affected by the fires.

Other causes include carelessly discarded cigarette butts, especially in drier conditions.

The last major gorse fire in the area was at the end of March when two units of Kenmare and one unit from Killarney fire station spent hours tackling an illegal blaze.

However, since that date, Killarney officers are reporting a reduction – by at least a third – in the number of gorse fires they attended compared to the same period last year.

“It is down to a few things,” Station Officer Paudie Mangan told the Killarney Advertiser. “Kerry County Council ran a massive awareness campaign and that seems to be working. There are less people out and about too, and less people in the National Park so less discarded butts.”

He warned people not to become complacent despite the reduction in the number of gorse fires as every incident the fire service has to attend is preventing resources from attending other serious incidents in the area.