Firestarters

[Sandino]

I was out in the Gortin Glens this morning
Its a scene of utter devestation. Wildlife ruined and a natural resource ruined. A fire is burning at the moment and the smoke is bad even in NTS.

[The Gs Man]

I was up the Mournes yesterday.  Smoke was very thick.  Flames were 40ft high in places.  Could have got dangerousfor a lot of people if the wind had've changed.

[mylestheslasher]

Ballina to sligo road closed due to fires on mountains between dromore west and culleens

[Lar Naparka]

Ballina to sligo road closed due to fires on mountains between dromore west and culleens

The situation is getting very serious now with fires breaking out in so many places. They are copy cat affairs and I just hope for a good spill of rain to break the cycle.

[AZOffaly]

Lads, excuse my ignorance here, but are you saying these fires are started deliberately?

I know some are started through stupidity, with people burning gorse on mountains, and then it getting out of hand.

I'm used to bog fires, which were a nightmare, back when I was growing up, and my auld lad would disappear for a whole night as they tried to put them out (he was in Bord na Mona), but I always thought they were started by stupidity, carelessness and hot, dry weather.

Lar's 'copycat' comment seems crazy to me. (crazy in the sense that I can't believe people would do that on purpose)

[oakleafgael]

Some are started accidentally by discarded butts etc but the vast majority are started deliberately. Either by farmers, those looking to remove the gorse to dig turf or by arsonists/pyromaniacs. A 10 & 15 yearold are being questioned about one of the fires in County Tyrone.

[AZOffaly]

Some are started accidentally by discarded butts etc but the vast majority are started deliberately. Either by farmers, those looking to remove the gorse to dig turf or by arsonists/pyromaniacs. A 10 & 15 yearold are being questioned about one of the fires in County Tyrone.

Sorry, I should have clarified my 'deliberately'. I actually meant 'maliciously'. I know all about the farmers burning gorse, and then it getting out of control, but that is usually an accidental, albeit careless, occurence. What I can't believe is eejits starting fires maliciously in the wild, either in forests, bogs or mountains. I hope they get jail.

[gallsman]

Some are started accidentally by discarded butts etc but the vast majority are started deliberately. Either by farmers, those looking to remove the gorse to dig turf or by arsonists/pyromaniacs. A 10 & 15 yearold are being questioned about one of the fires in County Tyrone.

Sorry, I should have clarified my 'deliberately'. I actually meant 'maliciously'. I know all about the farmers burning gorse, and then it getting out of control, but that is usually an accidental, albeit careless, occurence. What I can't believe is eejits starting fires maliciously in the wild, either in forests, bogs or mountains. I hope they get jail.

As terrible as it is, it's often kids "messing about". Are you advocating a potential custodial sentence for a 10 year old?!

[AZOffaly]

Some are started accidentally by discarded butts etc but the vast majority are started deliberately. Either by farmers, those looking to remove the gorse to dig turf or by arsonists/pyromaniacs. A 10 & 15 yearold are being questioned about one of the fires in County Tyrone.

Sorry, I should have clarified my 'deliberately'. I actually meant 'maliciously'. I know all about the farmers burning gorse, and then it getting out of control, but that is usually an accidental, albeit careless, occurence. What I can't believe is eejits starting fires maliciously in the wild, either in forests, bogs or mountains. I hope they get jail.

As terrible as it is, it's often kids "messing about". Are you advocating a potential custodial sentence for a 10 year old?!

I wouldn't classify a 10 year old messing about as 'malicious', would you?

[An Gaeilgoir]

Some are started accidentally by discarded butts etc but the vast majority are started deliberately. Either by farmers, those looking to remove the gorse to dig turf or by arsonists/pyromaniacs. A 10 & 15 yearold are being questioned about one of the fires in County Tyrone.

Sorry, I should have clarified my 'deliberately'. I actually meant 'maliciously'. I know all about the farmers burning gorse, and then it getting out of control, but that is usually an accidental, albeit careless, occurence. What I can't believe is eejits starting fires maliciously in the wild, either in forests, bogs or mountains. I hope they get jail.

As terrible as it is, it's often kids "messing about". Are you advocating a potential custodial sentence for a 10 year old?!

I wouldn't classify a 10 year old messing about as 'malicious', would you?

Another reason for the fires is that under the soon to be replaced REPS payment to farmers, commonage land which is in the main, mountains, boggy land etc. is now restricted as regards grazing land. However if bushes or trees beging to grow on this under grazed land, all farmenrs with a share in this land, lose a precentage of their payment for each and every tree/ bush. In fact a farmer i know was advised by a department of Agriculture inspector to throw a match on gorse land last year, when the issue of trees and bushes came up during an inspection.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Some are started accidentally by discarded butts etc but the vast majority are started deliberately. Either by farmers, those looking to remove the gorse to dig turf or by arsonists/pyromaniacs. A 10 & 15 yearold are being questioned about one of the fires in County Tyrone.

Sorry, I should have clarified my 'deliberately'. I actually meant 'maliciously'. I know all about the farmers burning gorse, and then it getting out of control, but that is usually an accidental, albeit careless, occurence. What I can't believe is eejits starting fires maliciously in the wild, either in forests, bogs or mountains. I hope they get jail.

As terrible as it is, it's often kids "messing about". Are you advocating a potential custodial sentence for a 10 year old?!

I wouldn't classify a 10 year old messing about as 'malicious', would you?

Another reason for the fires is that under the soon to be replaced REPS payment to farmers, commonage land which is in the main, mountains, boggy land etc. is now restricted as regards grazing land. However if bushes or trees beging to grow on this under grazed land, all farmenrs with a share in this land, lose a precentage of their payment for each and every tree/ bush. In fact a farmer i know was advised by a department of Agriculture inspector to throw a match on gorse land last year, when the issue of trees and bushes came up during an inspection.

+ 1 this appears to be the cause of most bog, mountain and gorse fires in Mayo. Now the forrest fires may be malicious or spread from neighbouring gorse/bogs.

[Lar Naparka]

Lads, excuse my ignorance here, but are you saying these fires are started deliberately?

I know some are started through stupidity, with people burning gorse on mountains, and then it getting out of hand.

I'm used to bog fires, which were a nightmare, back when I was growing up, and my auld lad would disappear for a whole night as they tried to put them out (he was in Bord na Mona), but I always thought they were started by stupidity, carelessness and hot, dry weather.

Lar's 'copycat' comment seems crazy to me. (crazy in the sense that I can't believe people would do that on purpose)

Okay, Az, tell me what's crazy about it?
A large number of fires have been breaking out in various parts of the country of late. Those areas can be many miles apart. They seem to have started one by one and all can't be explained away by careless people throwing away cigarette butts or by farmers all over the island, north and south, deciding to burn off gorse etc. on their lands.
Especially, when there has been little or no interval between those fires.

None of us like to think that people can be irresponsible enough to do things like this but a certain percentage certainly are- it only needs a single individual to start a conflagration.

[AZOffaly]

Crazy as in, 'Jaysus, that's mad, how could anyone be so thick/stupid/ignorant/bad minded' delete as appropriate.

I wasn't saying you're crazy, but you probably are

[Lar Naparka]

Crazy as in, 'Jaysus, that's mad, how could anyone be so thick/stupid/ignorant/bad minded' delete as appropriate.

I wasn't saying you're crazy, but you probably are

From a BIFFO, that's choice!
Pot calling a kettle black etc.

[Banana Man]

in the paper that the one in the mournes was started deliberately and some boy was spotted walking with a gerry can of petrol, hoor needs locked up, i was going up over spelga yesterday and the fire was right beside the road, it was crazy