Emergency services attended a large gorse fire close to the Nine Stones area on Mount Leinster last night (Tuesday, April 6).
Posting to its Facebook page, Carlow County Fire and Rescue Service said that a passing snow shower helped firefighters from Bagenalstown Fire Brigade extinguish the remnants of the fire.
“Driven by strong winds, this fast moving gorse fire was visible across Co. Carlow,” the fire and rescue service said.
“Despite numerous appeals, a number of individuals continue to intentionally light fires on Mount Leinster and the Blackstairs Mountains.
“As well as being damaging to plant and animal life, these fires release enormous volumes of smoke, carbon dioxide and other pollutants which are harmful to the atmosphere.
“This fire burned very close to the popular Nine Stones car park which will result in an unsightly scar on the landscape adjacent to this natural beauty spot for the remainder of the summer months.”
Prohibited period
It is an offence under Section 40 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (amended by Section 46 of the Wildlife Act, 2000) to burn, from March 1 to August 31 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).
Recent fires on rural lands – particularly in counties Kerry, Laois and Wicklow – have been noted since the closing date of March 1, by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, which has warned that such lands are now no longer eligible for Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payments.
Recently, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has issued a Condition Orange – High Fire Risk warning for gorse fire incidents.
The warning, which expired in the last number of days, followed a number of gorse fires around the country.