Calls for controlled burning on Waterford mountain to prevent wildfires
Smoke from the fire on the Comeragh Mountains could be seen as far away as Tramore.
A Comeragh district councillor has called for controlled burning in the mountains to prevent wildfires.
Cllr Liam Brazil told elected members and officials at the September sitting of Comeragh District Council that an old practice of managing the land had been controlled burning.
Regulations now prohibit the practice, but Cllr Brazil said after the fires this summer a pilot programme should be considered for Waterford.
“This year we saw the flames on the hill there. Wildlife and livestock burned. This fire is not just on the Comeragh mountains.
“In the olden days landowners went up the mountain, and they cut a blanket up the mountain, and they burned into that blanket every second year.
“In recent times that can’t be done because of regulations, so we need to do something to change regulations. I think we in Waterford should pilot something. We should say, look, we are going to do something about this before somebody is going to get hurt,” said Cllr Brazil.
Cllr Seanie Power said, as a farmer himself, he would support Cllr Brazil’s call.
Cllrs Declan Clune and Catherine Burke also supported the call that it is the responsibility of Waterford council to express concerns about this as a county issue.
Senior Executive Officer in the Environment Section, Dawn Wallace, said such a programme was not within the council’s power and submissions for such should be sent to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
However, Cllr Brazil did not accept that answer.
He said that NPWS are “uncontactable” and asked that the council write to them.
“If something happens, we will all be jumping up and down saying why we want this acted on. This is the time to act, and I want the council to act, said Cllr Brazil.
Ms Wallace said she would have considered whether it was the council’s place to call for controlled burning.
“I need to take advice on that because these regulations are set out in the Wildlife Act. The council cannot change those regulations.
She also said that any decision on the matter would have to be made in consultation with the fire service.
Both Cllr Brazil and Ms Wallace complimented the fire service on their work in controlling the summer fires, here in Waterford and across the country.
Ms Wallace said she had noted all councillors’ comments.
