Laois public and farmers warned of fire risk
Coillte and the Department of Agriculture are urging people to be vigilant of fire risks as a High Forest Fire Risk is in place until Wednesday.
The Department of Agriculture issues the Status Orange, High Forest Fire Risk Warning due to the warm weather conditions.
Coillte said: “Arising from current weather patterns a high fire risk is deemed to exist in all areas where hazardous fuels such as dead grasses and shrub fuels such as heather and gorse exist.”
“Members of the public intending to visit forests and other recreational sites are reminded to adhere to regulations regarding fire use. Forest visitors should not use barbeques or open fires at any stage. Vehicles must not be parked at site entrances or impede emergency service access to forest roads.”
“Fire risk is expected to peak on Sunday, July 17th. Where fires occur, fire behaviour is likely to be influenced by moderate windspeeds in the 15-25kmh region. Higher windspeeds above the critical 30km/h threshold may be experienced in southern areas,” they stated.
Coillte advise that all outdoor use of fires, barbecues and other open ignition sources be avoided on forest lands and in other high risk areas until further notice,” Coillte warned.
They stated that pending significant rainfall, this risk condition will remain in place until midday on Wednesday, July 20 unless otherwise stated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The Department of Agriculture has advised extreme caution with respect to hay making and the use of machinery and other agricultural activity that may also present a risk of fire in dry vegetation on cultivated land types in current conditions.
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Fire Danger Notices are issued largely based on meteorological factors. Numerical fire risk models, such as the one run by Met Éireann, analyse recent and predicted weather conditions and categorise potential fire risk.
The Forest Service (part of DAFM) uses information such as this, as well as knowledge of potential fuel stocks, human activity and their own considerable experience, to classify and issue Fire Danger Notices.