Several units of Kerry Fire Service attend overnight gorse fires
Several units of Kerry Fire Service were called to the scene of gorse fires in parts of the south and east of Co. Kerry overnight.
Fire crews responded to gorse fires yesterday evening (Tuesday, March 18) and last night in Scartaglin and Glanbeg, Caherdaniel.
"The largest of these was at Caherdaniel where the fires came close to seven houses and fire crews from Sneem, Caherciveen and Killarney worked to save these houses.
"The fire at Scartaglin did not pose any threat to houses and was dealt with by fire crews from Castleisland and Killarney," a spokesperson for Kerry Fire Service told Agriland.
The cause of the fires has not yet been determined.
Under Section 40 of the Wildlife Act, 1976, growing vegetation cannot be burnt between March 1 and August 31 of any given year (known as the closed period), on any land not yet cultivated.
Land which is found to have been illegally burnt land can be deemed ineligible for payment under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) scheme and the other area-based schemes, including the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme (ANC).
Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) believes the fire that occurred in the Mourne Mountains in Co. Down on Monday (March 17) was deliberate.
Firefighters were called to reports of approximately 200m of gorse on fire at the Altnadua Road, Castlewellan.
A total of seven fire engines, one 4×4 vehicle, and a command support unit were present.
Six supervisory officers attended the scene along with 60 firefighters.
Firefighters used backpack sprayers and beaters to extinguish the fire. The cause of the fire is believed to have been deliberate ignition.
In Northern Ireland, the closed period for burnings is April 15 to August 31.
Anyone burning heather, gorse, furze or whin within this time of the year is committing an offence under the Game Preservation Act (Northern Ireland) 1928.
