'This is a disaster waiting to happen' - Waterford Hill Group calls for controlled burning
Fires on the Comeragh mountains in July. Photo: Noel Browne
Strong calls have been made in Waterford to relax laws relating to controlled burning on our mountains.
The calls come in the aftermath of serious fires over the summer on the Comeragh mountains and Slievenamon.
In Waterford, families living in close proximity to the mountains evacuated their homes during the ordeal due to high levels of smoke.
The Waterford Hill Group have since made an ‘urgent’ call to allow farmers to engage in the controlled burning of heather and gorse.
The group’s call has been backed by Mayor of Waterford, Cllr Liam Brazil, who said recently that if something isn’t done, “animals, wildlife and people will be wiped out”.
Currently, controlled burning on mountain and upland areas in Ireland is strictly regulated by the Wildlife Act.
Farmers who own land on mountains are only allowed to burn from September 1 to February 28.
The Waterford Hill Group say it is often not possible to burn during this timeframe due to inclement weather conditions.
The group, and the Mayor, have also said that obtaining permission from the relevant authorities to burn can prove very difficult, even impossible.
"We now require urgent leadership on this issue," a statement from the group said.
The organisation are demanding that the time period for which controlled burning can take place be extended into mid-April, to allow farmers increased time and more suitable weather to complete burns.
"As farmers, we are deeply concerned about a disaster waiting to happen. Are we going to wait for human life to be lost before we act?” a statement said.
Mayor Brazil added that the issue was “a match waiting to light".
