Warning Against Illegal Mountain Fires

The warning and appeal continue to be issued against people lighting illegal wildland fires.

An Orange fire warning has issued for the fourth week in a row by the Department of Agriculture.

And the fire services say the are stretched to the limit dealing with a large number of wildfires.

The area around the Blackstairs in Carlow has been a particular blackspot with 40 firefighter needed to deal with an out-of-control blaze on Thursday evening.

Farmers groups are condemning the burning because they can lose out on significant ANC funding for ‘Areas of Natural Conservation’.

Heritage Council Wildlife Officer Lorcan Scott told KCLR it will hurt the land itself in the long term, with fire having a devastating on the local ecology and wildlife.