Major gorse fire on Mount Gabriel

MOUNT Gabriel near Schull was ablaze tonight after a gorse fire broke out.

It’s believed emergency services attended the scene to stop the blaze from spreading.

Gorse fire burning will be illegal from March 1st. It is an offence under Section 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976 to burn from March 1st to August 31 in any year, any vegetation growing on any land not then cultivated.

There was widespread fury expressed on line as images of the West Cork blaze were shared with some describing it as ‘ecologically devastating’ and others demanding action from the Department of Agriculture.