A situation deemed ‘too dangerous’ saw Carlow County Fire and Rescue Service personnel withdraw from the Blackstairs before last night’s blaze was extinguished.
So says Acting Chief Fire Officer, Liam Carroll.
His crew has been busy in the mountainous area that divides Carlow and Wexford, for the best part of the last week and they were back out last night. (More on that here).
Similar scenes too at points across the country, including fires that have devastated Killarney National Park in Kerry over the weekend.
Grounds crews are this afternoon damping down the main hot spots there but over 2,000 hectares have been destroyed, one-third of its total landmass.
That blaze broke out on Friday night with firefights working to bring it under control since.
The air corp has dropped around 90,000 litres on the site.
Jim Lawlor of the Native Woodland Trust, says it’s devastating for wildlife.
Several groups have called for an investigation into the fires and Minister of State Malcolm Noonan says one will be conducted.
On his way to Killarney earlier, the Minister, who is also the Carlow Kilkenny Green TD, spoke to KCLR News – listen to what he had to say here:
