Hundreds of large fires to be lit on Wednesday

highdef

So on Wednesday, hundreds of large fires will be lit in some areas of the island of Ireland, throwing large amounts of pollution into the air, with flames reaching up to fifty metres into the air.

However, it seems that this all deemed to be ok by local government. At the same time, in "southern" counties of the island, farmers will be unable to burn much smaller amounts of wood after the final burning season this coming autumn.

Come next year, will the massive mid July fires still be given the ok by local government, despite the large amounts of pollutants being released into the air? The fires serve no function either as they are purpose built just to create a large fire, not to get rid of wood waste that would otherwise be thrown into landfill.

If they do continue to be permitted, can anyone create these fires or does one have to meet a particular criteria to be given the ok?

Day Lewin

I doubt if the Government, here or there, is happy about the pollution caused by bonfires - or the associated celebrating.

But you know what they're like in the North; banning the traditional bonfires on the Twelfth could result in serious rioting and civil unrest.

The most they do is try to keep some kind of safety protocols, keeping back bystanders, etc.

Seems it all went off smoothly, this year.

highdef

That doesn't resolve the very large of unwarranted pollutants that are released into the air. Maybe all the stuff that's burned is going to be burned in fires anyway, to get rid of them and not be going to landfill. I'm not sure in that respect.

But if the stuff that's burned is not going to be burned otherwise, then tradition is absolutely no excuse. There's been a push in recent years to reduce and eventually eliminate bonfires at Halloween. Those fires are miniscule to those that occur in July, plus the tradition for them is going on way way longer than the July fires so I can't see why a very long tradition that involves relatively small fires is being repressed whilst a much newer tradition with vastly bigger fires is tolerated.

SortingYouOut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120857754#Comment_120857754

Aye but you're pissing in the wind even given it a second of thought because there is nothing you can do to change it.

highdef

Yeah but I'm not the government. Much like the local government taking a stance on Halloween fires and disregarding a very long standing tradition for the sake of safety, the environment and other negative factors, local government can do the same for the July mega fires which serve no positive purpose.