Editorial: Gorse fires blaze frighteningly close to Waterford city homes
The fire came dangerously close to houses in the Williamstown area of Waterford city.
The fires that raged in the Williamstown area of Waterford city on Wednesday afternoon and evening brought home to everyone in the Déise that wildfires are not just the subject matter of faraway places anymore.
Until now, wildfires brought to mind images from Los Angeles or Greece - where heat and arid land conditions have long gone hand in hand. However, last week the reality of climbing temperatures and dangerously dry conditions close to home was very much a concern.
In Ireland, with weeks and weeks of rain every year, we have plenty of lush growth. When that is coupled with weeks of near-drought conditions, the beautifully verdant greenery takes on a more precarious nature, as, when completely dried out, it is a ready-made fuel source.
All it takes is a cigarette butt carelessly discarded, or a barbeque or fire lit in an inappropriate setting. It does not automatically mean that arson may have been involved. Even a discarded glass bottle has the potential to cause a fire to ignite and spread dangerously.
It was telling that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine issued a 'Condition Red Forest Fire' warning, in advance of the hot weather forecast for the weekend.
Condition Red is the highest level of fire danger warning, and its use is incredibly rare in Ireland.
The Department pointed out that under extreme fire risk conditions, any ignition source "in dead grasses and low moisture shrub fuels like gorse and heather" may give rise to rapid and unpredictable wildfire development and spread.
"Upland fires in these weather conditions can be expected to pose extreme difficulties to firefighting efforts," the Department of Agriculture said.
In the Williamstown area of Waterford city, extensive gorse bushes on waste ground became the fuel, and Waterford City's Fire Service must be commended for how they excelled in fighting the blaze, knowing the best manner to contain the flames and, in turn, stop the horrendous prospects of homes becoming engulfed.
On this occasion, people will reflect on a lucky escape. It will have been particularly unnerving for those who were evacuated from their home, which had become inundated with heavy smoke. The news we are reporting in the Waterford News & Star this week could have been so much worse.
Also, it must be remembered, that these fire service personnel were not only tasked with tackling the Williamstown fire on Wednesday night. There was another fire in the locality as well, and also a serious road traffic collision - unfortunately, Tramore-man Michael O'Sullivan passed away after being critically injured in that road accident. The presence of the fire service was crucial for all concerned, but the number of fire personnel is limited.
We must all practice responsible behaviour when it comes to fire prevention - beautiful weather weekends like we have just had are fantastic, but any of us can be the cause of a devastating fire if we don't take the necessary precautions during drought-like conditions.
