The Mizen Head Peninsula in West Cork, Ireland, suffered a terrible fire this Sunday, which ravaged one of the most beautiful corners of the south-west Emerald Isle. The fire is said to have started after a gorse fire got out of hand, engulfing part of Mount Gabriel, a mountain on the Peninsula… The site was one of the region’s natural treasures.
An apocalyptic scene unfolded this Sunday in front of the inhabitants of the village of Schull in Ireland. Images of Mount Gabriel in flames, surrounded by multiple fire starts…
The mountain burned all night long, despite the determination and courage of the local fire department. It has to be said that the weather conditions were complicated: the strong wind, coupled with the density of the vegetation, made the intervention complex:
Crews worked hard in very difficult conditions for long hours to fight the fires, some of which came very close to private homes. Fire crews had to contend with very dense vegetation cover and strong winds, which made fighting the fires extremely difficult.
Fortunately, the fire is now under control. But the fact remains that one of the most beautiful peninsulas in south-west Ireland has been badly damaged. Scorched vegetation and wildlife perished in the heat of the flames.
At present, it is impossible to say whether the fire was started intentionally.
But this isn’t the first time Ireland has suffered this type of fire from gorse. These particularly flammable plants are found all over the country, and regularly pose problems for the authorities…
These invasive gorse bushes proliferate rapidly… and some Irish people deliberately set them ablaze to clear their land… only to find themselves quickly overwhelmed.
West Cork TD and Fianna Fáil spokesman for the environment, climate action and biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan , said that if the fires had been started intentionally, it was“completely irresponsible”. He said:
As a reminder, the burning of gorse remains particularly regulated. According to the government, the burning of vegetation is governed by wildlife laws. It is even an offence under Section 40 of the 1976 Wildlife Act: it is forbidden to burn vegetation growing on uncultivated land from March 1 to August 31.
For Mizen Head, it’s now time to heal. In time, nature will do its work to restore Mount Gabriel to its former glory… But it will be many years before the site fully recovers.
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