Gorse fires a ‘major drain’ on resources

The capacity of the Clare fire and rescue service to respond quickly to emergency incidents around the county is under threat because personnel are deployed bringing gorse and forestry fires under control.

Angela Naughton, senior assistant chief fire officer, said dozens of fires in multiple locations throughout the county have caused “a major drain on fire service resources and consequently have reduced the service’s capability to respond quickly to other emergency incidents”.

Fire brigades from Ennis, Shannon, Killaloe, Kilrush, Ennistymon, Kilkee and Scariff have attended fires during the week in Shannon, Doonass, Coore, Twomilegate, Ennis, Cahermurphy, Doonbeg, Ogonnelloe, Connolly, Doolin, Tulla, Portroe, Kilmaley, Whitegate, Ballycuggeran, Doora, Killaloe, Ballymacurtaun, Booltiagh and Crusheen.

Last Wednesday night, every available fire fighter in the county was deployed as a result of gorse and forestry fires. Fire crews have spent the week responding to a number of other new gorse and forestry fires.

Ms Naughton warned that lives and property are being put at risk by the fires, which have caused hundreds of acres of damage to forestry and land.

“The highest risk period for quickly spreading fires occurs between March and June, when ground vegetation is dead and dry following the winter period. Fires have spread quickly this week due to the dry vegetation, low humidity and strong easterly winds, which fed the fires,” she stated.

Ms Naughton cautioned that it is an offence under the Wildlife Act to burn growing vegetation between March 1 and August 31 in any year, on any land not then cultivated.

“The sad fact is that if this simple rule was adhered to, many costly and dangerous wildfires would be avoided,” she said.