- Warning Effective From: 1200hrs 06/06/2023
- Effective Period Expires: 1200hrs 12/06/2023
Arising from continued high-pressure dominated weather patterns 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.
Continued Westerly high-pressure dominated weather will continue to create dry conditions across Ireland, ahead of an expected change and arrival of low-pressure weather systems over the weekend.
Ahead of this, where fires do occur, fire behaviour is likely to be moderated by advanced live fuels growth, particularly in upland grasses but may be adversely influenced by stronger easterly wind conditions over coming days. Increased levels of fire behaviour and increased difficulty controlling fires should be expected during this time.
Recent fires appear to be strongly associated with public recreational activity in high risk areas, and ignitions on areas associated with turf cutting. Members of the public and visitors to recreational areas should not bring barbeques, light fires or engage in any other fire risk activity during this time. Visitors to forests and other lands 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.
Pending significant rainfall, this risk condition will remain in place until 1200hrs on Monday, June 12th, 2023 unless otherwise stated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
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.
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. Riskassessment:
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 firefighting 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.
Existing firebreaks should be maintained 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 throughout the lifecycle of the plantation.
3. Be Vigilant:
Forest owners should be particularly vigilant during high risk periods. 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 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.
- Do not light fires in and around forests or open land.
- Do not attempt to intervene or fight fires under any circumstances.
- Gather all family/group members and move to a safe fuel-free location such as a carpark, upwind of the fire.
- Telephone Fire and Rescue Services via 112 and report the fire and its location.
- Evacuate if instructed to do so, and cooperate with all Emergency Service Instructions.
Updated Fire Weather information can be found at: https://www.met.ie/forecasts/farming/graphs/fire-weather-index https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/01773-fire-management/#fire-danger-notices
General Wildfire Advice:
Wildfires can have catastrophic impacts on upland habitats and rural communities, putting homes, property and lives at risk and diverting emergency services from their main tasks. In recent years, fires have also caused considerable damage to forests, private and State-owned. In addition to the losses faced by the forest owner, there is an economic impact for our forestry sector, which is an important indigenous industry and a significant rural employer.
Everybody has a part to play in protecting our unique rural landscapes, communities, habitats and forest resources from the threats posed by wildfire. If you are out and about enjoying our countryside and forests this summer, please help to reduce the risks of fire by keeping the following in mind:
- Do not light fires in or near woodland. You will be responsible if fire spreads from a campfire or barbeque. Use only designated barbeque points where available. Thoroughly soak BBQ embers after use and make sure that they are extinguished completely.
- Do not block forest entrances or roads when parking – access may be required by the fire service or forestry personnel in the event of an emergency, their job will be made easier if the roads are clear.
- Be prepared – Many hikers, cyclists, etc will carry mobile telephone, maps and GPS. These can be used to provide very accurate location information if you have to report a fire incident to the emergency services.
- If you see a fire, report it immediately to the emergency services – Dial 999 or 112. Give clear details as regards location and any other useful information such as the size of the fire, wind direction, proximity to dwellings or forestry etc. You will not be billed by the fire service or local authority for making the call.
- Report any illegal and suspicious activity to the Gardai. Dangerous or irresponsible burning activity should not be tolerated in our communities. Note that the burning of growing vegetation on uncultivated land between 1 March and 31 August each year is prohibited by law.
- Do not approach fires – Wildfires can be extremely dangerous and can rapidly change direction and behaviour. Avoid traversing uphill above fires – in suitable conditions, fire can travel uphill faster than you can run. Smoke can be highly disorienting and damaging to health. Avoid passing through smoke.
- Do not attempt to extinguish fires yourself. Fire fighting is dangerous work and should be left to suitably equipped and trained personnel. If you see a fire, call the fire service and retire to a safe distance.
Be Prepared. Be Vigilant. Stamp Out Forest Fires.
Burning land or vegetation is extremely dangerous. Wildfires are generally the result of either unforeseen or careless actions.
Gorse will burn readily in all seasons and although fires occur throughout the year, the risk is greatest during dry spells from March to June when ground vegetation is dormant and dry. The risk increases with decreasing humidity and increasing wind speed. Most people significantly underestimate the intense flammability of vegetation and the speed at which a relatively small fire can become out of control. Fire risk substantially increases with the presence of people who are untrained, ill prepared, uninformed, or inexperienced in managing a controlled fire.
It is an offence under Section 40 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (amended by Section 46 of the Wildlife Act, 2000) to burn, from 1st March to 31st August in any year, any vegetation growing on any land not then cultivated.
Controlled burning of land or vegetation requires expert skill and should only be attempted by experienced persons and in accordance with a meticulously prepared fireplan. However, before you even consider setting a controlled fire you must answer yes to all of the following questions.
- Is a fire absolutely necessary?
- If I start a fire can I stop it?
- Am I within the legally permitted period for controlled burning?
- Am I within 1 mile of a woodland or a forest?
- Is my fire plan thoroughly prepared?
- Am I certain that my property and my neighbour’s property will be safe?
- Have I notified my neighbours and the owners of nearby forestry plantations or woodlands?
- Have I notified the Garda Siochana, the Local Authority and the Fire Service Regional Control Centre?
- Have I sufficient help and equipment on standby to control the planned fire?
- Am I sure that I have adequate means of communication with others should an emergency arise?
- Have I considered the financial and insurance consequences of an uncontrolled fire including the loss of my Single Farm Payment?
- If I light an uncontrolled fire, have I considered the penalties under the Department’s Direct Payment Schemes, the possibility of facing prosecution (fines of up to €50,000, up to 2 years in prison) or both?
- If you answer no to any of the above or have even the slightest doubt about any of these answers the advice is simple – do not burn .
If you intend to set a controlled fire you must, in advance, thoroughly prepare a fireplan that will ensure that the fire can be controlled properly and extinguished quickly and safely. A thorough fire plan must include consultation with neighbouring landowners and with other interested parties and agencies such as your local Gardai, your Local Authority and the Regional Fire Service Control Centre for your county.
You should never set a controlled fire on your own. Even the smallest of fires will require a minimum of three responsible adults to be in attendance, all of whom are experienced with controlled burning and familiar with the fireplan.
- Find out the location of the fire;
- Assume that the fire will become more dangerous if it is not extinguished at a very early stage.
- Ascertain its direction and speed of spread and, if possible, the risk to any people or property in its path.
- Decide on the need to summon help and the Fire Brigade.
- Speed of response is vital so do not assume that someone else will make that call. If in doubt call out the Fire Brigade and summon help. Don’t wait for someone else to do it!
- The speed of your response could be the determining factor in saving someone’s life.
- If you are calling out the Fire Brigade, be prepared to give the most accurate information available to you about the location of the fire, including the townland and the best access point from the public road.
- Arrange to meet the tender at an assembly point.
- All requests for assistance are directed via the 999 or 112 emergency numbers, to the Regional Control Centre (RCC). The RCC uses a predetermined response system to alert the nearest brigade to any incident.
- When you are making an emergency call and dialing 999 or 112 the operator will ask what service you require? Fire, Ambulance or Gardai.
- If you require the Fire Service, you will be connected to another operator who will identify himself or herself by saying ‘Regional Fire Control.’
- Speak calmly and clearly giving the address of the fire and your ‘phone number.
- Only hang up when the operator tells you to.
The operator will advise when appropriate assistance has been ordered.
If the emergency deteriorates after you have ended the call, you should dial 999 or 112 again, for further assistance.