Incidents particularly reckless at a time when our emergency services are tackling the Covid-19 situation
The Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine have issued a Condition Orange Fire Warning covering the period April 8, 2020 to April 14, 2020. The National Parks and Wildlife Service of The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht would like to take this opportunity to appeal to members of the public to be conscious of the dangers posed by fire on open ground.
It is now closed season for the setting of fires and we are currently during the time of year when wildfires tend to occur. Wildfires are not a natural phenomenon in Ireland. The main source of such fires is thought to be the deliberate starting of fires without concern for the consequences.
It is against the law to burn vegetation at this time of year and anybody found responsible for such burning is liable to prosecution under the Wildlife Acts. Even planned and/or ‘controlled’ burning can get out of hand very quickly, so it is critically important that every member of society realises the damage that can be caused to property, our precious natural heritage and, indeed, the health and welfare of family, neighbours and the wider community, and the responding emergency services.
As well as having severe localised impact on flora and fauna, setting fires during this time of National public health emergency is particularly reckless as it places unnecessary additional pressures on our emergency services as they valiantly tackle the current pandemic.
We encourage members of the public, (including landowners, farmers and recreational users of publicly accessible land), to act responsibly at all times, to be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, to be mindful of the need to protect property, both publicly owned and privately owned and to appreciate the value of our natural heritage, particularly in our National Parks, Nature Reserves and Designated (Natura 2000) Sites.
