Report on Gorse Fire at The National Park in Kerry April 2015

The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is responsible for over 60,000 hectares of

diverse landscape within our six National Parks and over 18,000 hectares within our statutory

Nature Reserves. Given the nature of the wildfires which took place in the southeast of

Killarney National Park, and given the necessity of evaluating the damage caused on an on-

going basis, the Minister received regular updates from officials on the effects of the fires.

At the time of the fires themselves, the Minister was kept appraised of the efforts of Kerry

County Council Fire & Rescue Service, the Air Corps of the Defence Forces, the Coast

Guard, and officials in the National Parks and Wildlife Service in combatting the fires. Most

of the damage caused within the National Park occurred in the upland areas where the fires

originated, with heather, gorse and mollinia (grass) burned across a large area of southeast of

the location.

These upland areas are very important habitats for a number of flora and fauna, including

ground-nesting birds, invertebrates, small mammals and many species of insects. Shortly

after the fires abated, officials reported that over 1,000 hectares within the National Park were

affected by the fires and that while the woodlands escaped serious damage, a number of trees,

including oak, birch, holly, and arbutus, were scorched by the fires. A number of deer fences

and a part of the board-walks on a long-distance walking trail which runs through the location

were damaged, but that, from an ecological perspective, the damage to uplands habitats was

far more serious. At that time, officials drew up a map indicating the areas affected which

you may find in Annex I, and recorded the damage by photograph, of which a number are

attached in Annex II.

Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts 1976 to 2012 currently prohibits the cutting, grubbing,

burning or destruction of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31

August. Section 40(1)(a) specifically provides that it is an offence to cut, grub, burn, or

otherwise destroy any vegetation on any land not then cultivated. In addition, it should also

be noted that Section 39 of the Acts prohibits burning, in any season, within one mile of a

statutory Nature Reserve or a wood which is not the property of the person burning unless

notice has been given.

Accordingly, at the time the fires occurred at the location Departmental officials indicated

that they would work closely with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and

the Garda Síochána, as appropriate, to investigate the cause, or causes, of the wildfires which

affected the location and, where evidence is forthcoming, to pursue appropriate enforcement

under the Wildlife Acts or other legislation.

ANNEX I – MAP OF THE AFFECTED AREA

ANNEX II - PICTURES TAKEN SHORTLY AFTER THE GORSE FIRES

1.Bottom of Ullauns Wood (coming from Incheens)

2. Inside Ullauns Wood

3. Between Ullauns and Shearing Hut

4. Stumpacommeen Ridge looking north

5. Edge of fire to south of Ullauns - contrast between burnt and unburnt vegetation

6. Close up of vegetation on Stumpacommeen Ridge – variation in degree of burning – note

Sphagnum

7. Looking to southwest from southern side of Cores Mtn – everything to the south of the

Crinnagh River is burnt (dark area) – the river was the northern limit of the fire. Esknamucky

Glen is to the far right.