Environment

FIRE DANGER NOTICE

BE PREPARED. BE VIGILANT. STAMP OUT FOREST FIRES.
Fire Danger Notice 05 of 2021
Issue date: 29 June 2021 @ 1600hrs
Forest Fire
Danger Rating
Condition Orange – High Fire Risk
Warning Effective From 1200hrs 29/06/2021
Effective Period Expires 1200hrs 05/07/2021

Arising from current dry weather patterns and high temperatures a high fire risk is deemed to
exist in all areas where hazardous fuels such as dead grasses and shrub fuels such as
heather and gorse exist. This risk phase is expected to peak on Friday, July 2nd, 2021.
Higher visitor activity levels at recreational sites can be expected in line with fine weather
and summer holiday usage patterns. Members of the public intending to visit forests and
other recreational sites are reminded to adhere to regulations introduced to limit the spread
of Covid-19. Vehicles must not be parked at site entrances or impede emergency service
access to forest roads. Forest visitors should not use barbeques or open fires at any stage.
Fire behaviour and spread rates are likely to be moderated by higher live fuel moisture levels
in vegetation, but near drought conditions may exist on some site types, particularly on
lowland peat sites and in eastern regions.

Pending significant rainfall, this risk condition will remain in place until 1200hrs on Monday, July
5th, 2021 unless otherwise stated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
BE PREPARED. BE VIGILANT. STAMP OUT FOREST FIRES.

Advice to Forest Owners and Managers
All forest owners and managers are again advised to prepare for likely outbreaks of fire. Fire
lines, Fire Plans, fire suppression equipment should be reviewed and made ready and other
relevant contingencies such as insurance, helicopter contracts etc., checked and confirmed.
The need for increased vigilance at this time cannot be overstated. Forest owners, farmers,
rural dwellers and other countryside users are asked to be extremely vigilant regarding fire
activity, to report any suspicious or illegal activity to the Gardai and to report all fires
immediately to the Fire and Emergency Services via 112/999.
The Department recommends that forest owners and managers should consider the fire
mitigation measures that they can put in place to help prevent loss or damage to forest
resources through fire. Examples of such measures are:
1. Risk assessment:
Assess your property with regard to fire risk and mitigation factors. Is there a risk of fire or
presence of hazardous fuel vegetation on neighbouring lands? Is there a history of land
burning in the vicinity of your forest? Are access routes adequate, accessible and clear of
obstructions? Is there a firebreak in place and has it been adequately maintained?
2. Prepare:
Fire Plans should be developed for all forests, including a map showing access routes and
assembly points for fire fighting personnel and equipment and potential sources of water.
The plan should also include contact details for the emergency services, local private and
Coillte foresters, neighbouring landowners and forest owners in order to summon help
should the need arise.
Have fire-fighting tools such as beaters and knapsack sprayers to hand and ready to use. If
you do not live in reasonable proximity to your woodland, a local caretaker or forest
neighbour should be employed and should also have a copy of the fire plan with your and all
the above contact numbers.
Clear tracks and roads if available and ensure forest entrances and access routes are not
blocked by parked vehicles or other obstacles, especially where visitors or recreational users
may be present. Suitable signage to this effect should be displayed on gates or barriers.
Firebreaks should be created (if not already in place) by screefing or removing vegetation
mechanically by excavator so that the soil is bare. Fire breaks should be at least 6 metres
wide and should be maintained clear of flammable vegetation.
3. Be Vigilant:
Forest owners should be particularly vigilant during the high risk period. Fire patrols may be
warranted in known fire hotspots. Be particularly vigilant at Bank Holiday weekends where
high risk weather is forecast. Cooperation between neighbouring landowners is critical to
successful fire prevention. Forest owners should discuss their concerns about fire with
neighbouring landowners in advance of the fire season. Providing assistance to farmers
wishing to carry out legal prescribed burning earlier in the season is a useful way of
developing good working relationships with neighbours, as well as ensuring that operations
BE PREPARED. BE VIGILANT. STAMP OUT FOREST FIRES.
are conducted safely during lower risk conditions. Forest owners should cooperate with fire
planning and share the burden of fire patrols and vigilance during high risk periods.
4. Obey the Law:
It is an offence to cut, grub, burn or otherwise destroy any vegetation growing on any land
not then cultivated between 1st March and 31st August in any year. Report all suspicious or
illegal activity to Gardai immediately. Landowners wishing to carry out legally permitted
prescribed burning must notify in writing all forest owners within one mile of the wood, and
the local Garda station, between 7 and 35 days in advance of the burning operation. All
burning operations should be notified to the Fire Service, via the control centre by
telephoning 112/999 BEFORE burning commences. Landowners found burning illegally
could face fines, imprisonment and Single Farm Payment penalties, where applicable.
5. Report Fires Immediately:
If you see a fire, do not delay; report it to the Fire and Emergency Services straight away. Do
not wait for somebody else to make the call. Dial 999 or 112. You will not be billed by the
fire service or local authority for making the call. Give clear details as regards location,
where at all possible using a national grid reference and any other useful information such
as the size of the fire, wind direction, proximity to dwellings or forestry etc. Do not attempt to
tackle fires alone or without adequate training or protective equipment.
6. Report Losses:
If your forest is damaged or destroyed, report this loss as soon as possible to your local
Gardai station and to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Johnstown
Castle Estate, Co. Wexford.
Advice to the General Public/Forest Visitors
Members of the public and visitors to recreational areas should cooperate with all requests
regarding fire safety, obey all relevant bye-laws and be considerate in parking vehicles so as
not to impede access by emergency vehicles.
Where fire outbreaks occur at or near recreational areas the following actions should be
taken by visitors in the interests of safety.
1. Do not light fires in and around forests or open land.
2. Do not attempt to intervene or fight fires under any circumstances.
3. Gather all family/group members and move to a safe fuel-free location such as a car
park, upwind of the fire.
4. Telephone Fire and Rescue Services via 112 and report the fire and its location.
5. Evacuate if instructed to do so, and cooperate with all Emergency Service
Instructions.
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/01773-fire-management/#fire-danger-notices

July 1, 2021

IFA STATEMENT ON FIRE IN KILLARNEY NATIONAL PARK

The fire in the National Park in Killarney has caused significant damage to wildlife and highlights the dangers of a fire spreading during a prolonged dry spell of weather.

Burning outside of the dates set down in legislation should not happen.

A full investigation should be carried out and those responsible should face the full rigours of the law.

If a farmer’s land is burned outside of season, through no fault of their own, then that farmer risks losing their payments, which is also unfair.

We appeal to everyone – farmers, recreational users and the general public – to be extremely vigilant because of the current weather conditions.

IFA looks forward to being involved in any future discussions on land management with all stakeholders, to avoid an incident happening in the future.

April 28, 2021

FARMERS AND RURAL IRELAND ARE SUPPORTIVE OF CLIMATE ACTION

Farmers and Rural Ireland Are Supportive of Climate Action

IFA President Tim Cullinan said that farmers and rural Ireland support climate action. However, any proposed changes arising from the new Climate Action Bill must be agreed upon with farmers.

“I believe that the vast majority of Irish citizens are proud of our farming and the food we produce and want to see the sector continuing to flourish sustainably,” he said.

“There are several important provisions in the new Climate Bill that policymakers will have to consider, which will protect the farming sector,” he said.

The IFA President was speaking as part of his opening address to the Smart Farming Spring Seminar this morning, a collaborative programme in conjunction with the EPA that works with farmers to support change at farm level.

IFA has been engaging at all levels to ensure that farming is treated fairly in the climate action process. The new Climate Bill states that in implementing the Bill, the Minister ‘shall’ have regard to ‘the special economic and social role of agriculture including with regards to the distinct characteristics of biogenic methane’.

It also says that the Minister shall have regard to the risk of ‘carbon leakage’, resulting in more emissions in other countries as a result of reductions.

“Our grass-based production systems is extremely efficient from a carbon perspective. It makes no sense to drive food production elsewhere, which will certainly result in carbon leakage as global food demand is increasing. The Minister is required to take this into account when framing any new targets,” he said.

Tim Cullinan said that the suggestion in some quarters that the number of cattle in Ireland will reduce by 51% due to the Climate Bill is nonsense.

“The draft Agri-Food strategy published at the weekend proposes a 10% reduction in biogenic methane. This target will be very challenging, but I believe that we can achieve this by adapting practices and developing technology while still developing our sector.”

“The key issue in the weeks and months ahead is that there is full engagement with farmers on any proposals. It’s easy to set targets, but they must be realistic and achievable and strike the right balance between the three pillars of sustainability – environmental, economic and social,” he said.

April 22, 2021

COILLTE URGES THE PUBLIC NOT TO LIGHT OUTDOOR FIRES

Coillte urges the public not to light outdoor fires – with Easter potentially a high-risk time for forest fire outbreaks

Damage and clean-up cost of fires €1.3M in 2020

Almost all forest fires are man made

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has issued a Status Yellow forest fire warning nationwide from March 1 until September 1 – the traditional fire outbreak season in Ireland.

With warmer and dryer Spring weather, dead grasses, gorse and heather become much more flammable and fires can spread quickly from open lands to forests.

“Easter can be a peak time for forest fires as people venture out to visit woodlands over the holiday,” said Coillte’s National Estates Risk Manager, Mick Power.

“We have seen a doubling to tripling of visitors to some of Coillte’s most popular forests since lockdown began. An unextinguished barbecue, campfire or burning of lands can be the start of a large and unintended blaze,” he said.

Coillte urges the public not to light fires in the outdoors such as campfires and barbecues and reminds the public that it is an offence to deliberately burn vegetation between the 1st day of March and 31st day of August.

In Coillte’s experience most forest fires in Ireland do not arise from natural causes. “Forest fires in Ireland are not caused by spontaneous combustion but instead are caused by unattended fires, or campfires that are not extinguished,” said Power.

Top facts re Coillte forest fires:

Almost 6,000 acres of forest land has been damaged by fire between 2016 and 2020 (5,892 acres)
There have been 584 forest fires on Coillte lands since 2016
Fires destroy the habitats of birds and animals, and this damage can take years to be repaired
Fires pollute the air and add to harmful CO₂ emissions
Fires can damage property and put lives at risk
Damage and clean-up of forest fires cost €1.3M in 2020

“We urge people to exercise care and not to light any fires in the outdoors over Easter” said Power and added “It’s very important individuals don’t approach forest fires and report them to the local fire service immediately. We’ve had over 580 fires in the past five years and we can bring this number right down if we all work together” said Power.

Forest fires pose a serious health and safety risk to the public, firefighters and foresters whose job is to bring the fire under control and prevent it from spreading to other areas.

Once fires become established, they are very difficult to control and cause considerable damage. In 2020, Coillte estimate the combined costs of loss of crops to fire and clean-up amounted to €1.3 million.

Coillte recommends the following steps to prevent forest fires:

Do not light fires and be careful regarding all activity involving fires
Report any suspicious activity
Report any forest fires you see to the local fire service
Do not approach forest fires under any circumstances, as they are extremely dangerous
Keep access points and forest entrances clear for emergency services

ENDS

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Coillte spokesperson, please contact: Adam Hurley adam@carrcommunications.ie / 083 459 5885

Imagery Source: Coillte

March 31, 2021

MALLARD DUCK NESTING ROLLS

Members of Ashgrove Shoot in South Tipperary decided to try out their engineering skills by building mallard duck nesting rolls.

Mallard ducks generally nest away from water courses in nearby fields and hedgerows. Unlike other birds, ducks do not carry nesting material to the nest site. The advantage of the nesting role is that the nesting material is provided for them. A hen will sit on her eggs for between 25 to 29 days and walk the ducklings to a watercourse.

It is hoped that the nesting rolls will improve and increase the duck nesting success rate at their duck ponds. The nesting roll which is opened at both ends is mounted onto a pole which sits 2 to 3 feet above the water level.

The members of Ashgrove Shoot were good enough to include a link for the dimensions which were used for the nesting rolls. Why not have a go yourself?

March 5, 2021

Information Meeting on Organic Farming Scheme

The Organic Farming Scheme will reopen on Mon, March 1^st.

IFA is holding an information evening for farmers considering applying for the scheme on Thurs, 4^th March at 8.30 pm. The event will take place over Microsoft Teams.

Speaking in advance of the event, IFA Organics Project Team Chairman Nigel Renaghan said, “The scheme last reopened in November 2018 for four weeks. 75% of applicants were refused admission due to a flawed points-based system that discriminated against smaller land-based applicants. IFA has made it clear to the Department that this cannot happen again”.

“The organic sector is badly under-resourced, and I know from speaking with farmers that there are huge information gaps.”

The Department of Agriculture will be available on the night to provide details on the scheme and the points system they apply to applications. Teagasc will also supply advice on the steps to take when considering converting to organic farming and how best to tailor applications.

“Switching enterprises can be incredibly daunting, so we will also have farmers who have gone through the process available on the night to share their experiences with people. The national certification bodies IOA and Organic Trust will also be on hand to answer any questions farmers have,” said Nigel Renaghan.

To register for the event visit www.ifa.ie/OFS21

February 26, 2021

FLEXABILITY NEEDED ON CONTROLLED GORSE BURNING

IFA has called on the Minister for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan to ensure managed burning of gorse is allowed to take place in March due to the inclement wet weather in January and February.

“The extension by a month is of vital importance as it will address better vegetative management; help farmers keep land eligible for various CAP schemes; and reduce uncontrolled wildfires” IFA Countryside Chairman Brian Rushe said.

“We want to maintain farming in these areas, while respecting the ecological value of lands with gorse and certain types of grass species. Without farming, these areas would go wild and the incidence of wildfires would significantly increase,” he said.

“The Minister must take account of how farmers manage their hill land responsibly. Where land is burned, it is done in a managed way. Controlled gorse burning has not happened yet this year because there was no opportunity due to the wet weather,” he said.

“Flexibility will allow hill famers to deal with the practical issues they face in managing their hill farms. Wildfires we have seen in the past can be avoided if the window for burning is extended to include the month of March,” he said.

February 24, 2021

CONTROL OF CERTAIN WILD BIRD SPECIES DEADLINE EXTENSION

IMPORTANT

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has extended the deadline for members of the public to forward comments/proposals in relation to the control of certain wild bird species.

The new deadline date for comments/proposals to be submitted to the Department is Friday February 19^th 2021 at 5pm.

A consultation notice regarding this was published on the NPWS website on 16^th December 2020 at the following link: https://www.npws.ie/news/control-certain-wild-bird-species, including details on where to send submissions.

The current declarations, made by the then Minister for Culture, Heritage & the Gaeltacht, allowing for the control of certain wild bird species are due to expire on 30 April 2021.

IFA SUBMISSION

To read IFA’s submission to the NPWS, please click here.

February 3, 2021

RE-OPENING OF ORGANIC FARM SCHEME

IFA Organic Project Team Chairman, Nigel Renaghan has welcomed Minister of State Pippa Hackett’s announcement that the Organic Farming Scheme will re-open.The scheme is due to re-open in the first week of March subject to EU Commission approval. It will increase the number of organic farmers by up to 30% in Ireland. “We were unequivocal at our AGM last week – the Department must execute this scheme correctly. We are meeting with the Minister later this week to discuss it further,” he said.

Nigel Renaghan said, “The scheme last re-opened in November 2018 for four weeks. 75% of applicants were refused admission due to a flawed points-based system which discriminated against smaller land-based applicants. The re-opened scheme must be properly administered; we cannot have a situation where so many farmers are rejected again”.

“IFA has lobbied extensively for the rejected applicants of the previous scheme who continued to farm organically, despite remaining outside the scheme. The Minister’s commitment to prioritising these farmers is positive. There has to be an acknowledgement that these farmers have been farming organically for the last two years with no payment. They should receive the conversion rate of payment for two years from the time they enter into the scheme.”

Ireland has one of the lowest organic farming levels in the EU, with just 2% of land under organic production, compared to an EU average of 8%. Government support is needed if this number is to increase, in line with the Farm to Fork strategy.

The organic sector is currently under-resourced with investment, research and advisory services. There has to be a balance between the supply and demand for organic produce to maintain farm-gate prices.

February 3, 2021