Major Kerry gorse fire brought under control
Major Kerry gorse fire brought under control
09 April 2011
published by www.rte.ie
United Kingdom — A huge gorse fire in Killarney National Park in Co Kerry has been brought under control.
Firefighters spent most of the night dealing with the blaze on Shehy Mountain on the Magillacudddy Reeks.
The fire, which started at around 4pm yesterday afternoon, was brought under control in the early hours of this morning without reaching the Oakwood Forest on Tomies Mountain.
The blaze spanned an estimated area of 10km of mainly gorse and scrub land.
Firefighters from Killarney had to call in back-up from Killorglin and Kenmare, as well as from Macroom in Co Cork.
There were no homes in the path of the fire.
Kerry County Council has appealed to all landowners not to set fires in upland areas following a particularly dry start to 2011.
Spokesman Padraig Corkery warned that gorse fires are putting properties, homes and lives at risk, as once started they spread quickly and are extremely difficult to put out.