THE REGIONAL manager with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has praised the efforts of the fire service and wildlife rangers in saving some of Europe’s oldest oak woodlands threatened by a raging gorse fire that spread over 16km (10 miles) of Killarney National Park early Saturday morning.
The fire in a remote area – Glaishín na Marbh, west of Lough Leane – was spotted by rangers late Friday afternoon. It took the fire service two hours to reach it.
The fire, which spread across Shehy Mountain and on to Tomies, was only contained in the early hours of Saturday.
Fire fighters from four towns – Kenmare, Killarney, Killorglin and Macroom in Co Cork – were led to the scene by rangers.
Mainly mountain scrub and gorse were affected. It is not known how the wildfire started, as this is not a farming region.
Pat Dawson, NPWS southwest regional manager based in the Killarney National Park, said the area was isolated, remote and very difficult underfoot.
“It was very dangerous for the personnel involved. They did very well,” Mr Dawson said. He appealed to the public to be careful and vigilant.
Smoke and flames could be seen billowing high on the mountain from Killarney town.
The fire service, which said the fire had put it under strain, was called out to other gorse fires as well as a commercial fire in the Killarney area on Saturday night.
Fire officers have appealed to farmers not to burn gorse.