Gorse fires West Cork - What on earth??

sporina

was down around the sheeps head yday and there were gorse fires everywhere... and fire brigades being called out

there were fires v near residential dwellings on the beara..

aren't there laws about this? if so, why are they being broken?

and i imagine that there are awful consequences for wildlife never mind the danger they are to the people living near??

mp22

sporina wrote: »

was down around the sheeps head yday and there were gorse fires everywhere... and fire brigades being called out

there were fires v near residential dwellings on the beara..

aren't there laws about this? if so, why are they being broken?

and i imagine that there are awful consequences for wildlife never mind the danger they are to the people living near??

There are plenty of laws,atm half of west cork is on fire it happens every year.

sporina

mp22 wrote: »

There are plenty of laws,atm half of west cork is on fire it happens every year.

and what are the law doing about it? how do the locals feel about it?

mp22

sporina wrote: »

and what are the law doing about it? how do the locals feel about it?

You would need to ask the guards that,as for the locals we put up with it.

Milly33

We were the same took a spin down there at the weekend, stepped out to see the view and got the smell, saw all the burning then. Tis a shame that people are still getting away with this. the damage it does to wildlife is just not worth it

whisky_galore

sporina wrote: »

and what are the law doing about it? how do the locals feel about it?

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/west-cork-fire-brigades-battle-raging-gorse-fires-388738.html

“The locals know who is responsible, but they will not name anyone,” said Alice van Gallen who lived on the peninsula for 10 years.

“No one wants to be a snitch. The land is mostly commonage, so not owned by anyone in particular. The excuse is ‘clearing the ground’.

Milly33

Shame shame on them.. If anyone is interested in the wildlife side of it, I know more than likely it wont stop anything but tis all worth a try https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/no-to-more-slash-and-burn

whisky_galore

Milly33 wrote: »

Shame shame on them.. If anyone is interested in the wildlife side of it, I know more than likely it wont stop anything but tis all worth a try https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/no-to-more-slash-and-burn

You're right. Online petitions never stopped anything.

Milly33

I know but tis worth some shot.. The Irish Wildlife page is quite good for information on the fires...

sporina

whisky_galore wrote: »

You're right. Online petitions never stopped anything.

at least its an effort - nothing will be done if no one makes at least some attempt

mp22

Happening now north of Bantry,it will be a big fire I think

solargain

It has to be done occasionally. The farmers need to burn it off, the animals grazing the land pick up red eye and ticks if its not done and get sick. The grouse on the mountain then benefit from the new heather growth and the beekeepers benefit from a crop of heather the following year.
Heather gets hard as the plants get old and neither the animals nor the bees will work it when it gets tough.
The burning should have been done before the 1st March but the rain never stopped from November to March to get it done.
I know its getting late now for the wildlife up there but the wildlife thrives the year after it is done on the new fresh growth.

No in case you ask I did not set the fires nor do I have anything to do with the mountains.

CJhaughey

solargain wrote: »

The burning should have been done before the 1st March but the rain never stopped from November to March to get it done.
I know its getting late now for the wildlife up there but the wildlife thrives the year after it is done on the new fresh growth.

The wildlife includes things like lizards and other animals which can't escape flames that travel that rapidly.
I doubt they thrive after being incinerated.

whisky_galore

Controlled burning in small patches would minimise impact, but would be hard to carry out without the thing getting out of control with wind etc. plus you would need people on the ground to watch it with sand/water/shovels not just light it and fcuk off home.

If there was a mass growth of gorse over a long number of years and a dry spell hit, a bottle in the sunlight, a discarded cigarette or just someone with time on their hands could cause real damage.

Milly33

Sounding like you more on the side to burn that not to burn whisky....

Milly33

I am sure they could find another way to get rid of the gorse without burning it all. To be honest I would take a few red eyes and ticks compared to the amount of damage it is doing to the wildlife

whisky_galore

Milly33 wrote: »

Sounding like you more on the side to burn that not to burn whisky....

No, just being realistic. Farmers have to have a living too, but responsibly. Sheep can't graze in an area smothered with gorse.

Aboriginal peoples have carried out controlled burnings for 1000s of years.

Milly33

All the too's and for's! Is there not some other way of going this, going to be my task for the day... Or like said do it before May rain or no rain, if it doesn't work then maybe compensation or something but yeah our government maybe not... Or more controlled the local brigades should be notified and be there onsite to stop the burning going to far

yellowlabrador

whisky_galore wrote: »

No, just being realistic. Farmers have to have a living too, but responsibly. Sheep can't graze in an area smothered with gorse.

Aboriginal peoples have carried out controlled burnings for 1000s of years.

And so have all farmers, including Irish farmers. In a way, it preserves a wild habitat. I'd rather a controlled burning than a young farmer with a digger, reclaiming and giving us a grass monoculture. If it could be organised by the commoners to do the burning in the right way and with the proper man power it would solve the problem. Some plants, including gorse need to go through the flame to germinate. Burning also restores fertility by giving potash. I love wildflowers and I mentally map rare plants and particular habitats and I find that the plants grow back after a year or 2. This would not be the case with the digger. I also feel for the people who built houses in these locations.

whisky_galore

Can't bring in contractors to cut this stuff down in many cases, far too expensive and inaccessible to large machinery.

Think we have two opposing forces, the farmers who may or may not adhere to the one-size-fits all rules set down from far off Dublin or Brussells all of the time, and what they see as the 'blow ins' who may not understand realities of farming all of the time.

whisky_galore

yellowlabrador wrote: »

And so have all farmers, including Irish farmers. In a way, it preserves a wild habitat. I'd rather a controlled burning than a young farmer with a digger, reclaiming and giving us a grass monoculture. If it could be organised by the commoners to do the burning in the right way and with the proper man power it would solve the problem. Some plants, including gorse need to go through the flame to germinate. Burning also restores fertility by giving potash. I love wildflowers and I mentally map rare plants and particular habitats and I find that the plants grow back after a year or 2. This would not be the case with the digger. I also feel for the people who built houses in these locations.

I'd prefer it to the monoculture of forestry in upland areas, walked through dense forestry that blotted out all light a few times, no birdsong no plants...apart from the trees, nothing.

monkeynuz

Just for balance, they have huge ones on the Ivereagh peninsula too.

Milly33

So volunteers would be needed in the mass amount if you were to do this "cut down"... mmm interesting but I suppose tis all well and easy to say online and things that you would volunteer, when push comes to shuff it is a different storey.. Needs incentive for people...

I saw the fire on the Killarney mountains too it was crazy looked like hell was breaking through or something.. Is it very bad in Iveragh monkey

monkeynuz

Milly33 wrote: »

So volunteers would be needed in the mass amount if you were to do this "cut down"... mmm interesting but I suppose tis all well and easy to say online and things that you would volunteer, when push comes to shuff it is a different storey.. Needs incentive for people...

I saw the fire on the Killarney mountains too it was crazy looked like hell was breaking through or something.. Is it very bad in Iveragh monkey

The mountains above gleesk pier were on fire a few days ago.

And if you had seen the pictures of the fires near caherciveen last year!

whisky_galore

Milly33 wrote: »

So volunteers would be needed in the mass amount if you were to do this "cut down"... mmm interesting but I suppose tis all well and easy to say online and things that you would volunteer, when push comes to shuff it is a different storey.. Needs incentive for people...

Nah, status quo will carry on, until someone dies or someone's house burns down.
Usual reactive Irish response.

yellowlabrador

Milly33 wrote: »

So volunteers would be needed in the mass amount if you were to do this "cut down"... mmm interesting but I suppose tis all well and easy to say online and things that you would volunteer, when push comes to shuff it is a different storey.. Needs incentive for people...

I saw the fire on the Killarney mountains too it was crazy looked like hell was breaking through or something.. Is it very bad in Iveragh monkey

I've seen it done. The fire brigade comes out to give advice. They build a few fire breaks to help control the fire before hand and no problems. It's people sneakily lighting a fire without checking the location, wind and conditions and then hide when things get out of control and accidental fires, caused by something as simple as a piece of glass acting as a lens or a tossed cigarette but. Burning marginal land has been part of the farming culture since time immemorial. It's the farmers who have managed the landscape to give us what we've got. As said above it's usually the blowins who complain.

sporina

what exactly are the current laws on gorse burning at the moment?

Are there local counsellors doing anything about it if the law is being broken? Or are the on the side of those who light the fires?

CJhaughey

End of Feb is the last legal date for burning, these current fires are illegal.

mp22

sporina wrote: »

what exactly are the current laws on gorse burning at the moment?

Are there local counsellors doing anything about it if the law is being broken? Or are the on the side of those who light the fires?

I`m sure all local representatives are on the side of law and order,the only people who can take action if the law is broken is the guards and they need the local population to speak up.

sporina

mp22 wrote: »

I`m sure all local representatives are on the side of law and order,the only people who can take action if the law is broken is the guards and they need the local population to speak up.

ha ha - well that would be unusual - given the current exploits of certain people in power in this country.. but i get your point none the less..

kingchess

I suppose it is the attitude that if you can burn up to March 1st then shure what harm if you burn 15 or 20 days later,and do those 20 days later have a much greater impact??