Investigation sought following West Clare gorse fires

Residents living close to a large fire that destroyed 300 acres of gorse and forestry in West Clare last week have called for an investigation into the cause of the blaze.

Clare County Fire and Rescue Service attended the fire in the Moanmore and Shragh areas on the evening of 19 March.

Hundreds of acres of gorse and recently planted forestry were destroyed in the fire, which occured during a Status Orange ‘High’ Forest Fire Risk Warning.

Fire and Rescue Service units from Kilrush and Kilkee responded to the incident.

Clare Chief Fire Officer Adrian Kelly last week told Clare FM radio that household rubbish dumped in the area may have contributed to the spread of fire.

It has since emerged that hundreds of tyres dumped in the area could also have contributed to the spread of the blaze.

The Clare Champion newspaper reports this week that local residents are demanding that the Fire Service and An Garda Siochana carry out an investigation.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has requested landowners and the public to avoid all outdoor fires and other open ignition sources.

Members of the public and visitors to forests and other recreational areas are also being asked by Coillte to cooperate with all requests regarding fire safety, obey all relevant byelaws and should not use barbeques or other outdoor fire sources in amenity areas.

It will turn drier and warmer from this weekend as high pressure builds over Ireland.

Temperatures could hit the high teens in places by the middle of next week as mild southeasterly winds are drawn in from the continent.

Largely settled conditions could persist into the second week of April as high pressure becomes anchored over Scandinavia with a secondary blocking high building from the west.