Warning! High risk of forest fires in Kilkenny this weekend

Rural parts of Kilkenny are included in a warning that there is a high risk of forest fire this weekend.

The Level Orange warning is in place from Friday afternoon until lunchtime on Monday.

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.

High-pressure weather patterns continue to dominate overall fire risk. Warm, and dry weather conditions are expected to remain in place over the weekend and beyond with increased fire risks expected as a result. Fire behaviour and spread rates may be moderated by recent rainfall and increasing levels of live growth in upland vegetation but will be increasingly influenced by high temperatures, low humidity levels <50% and variable light to moderate windspeeds during the span of this notice. Windspeeds may exceed 25km/h in some areas.

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With continued fine weather, higher levels of visitor activities are expected in the countryside.

Continued vigilance is warranted in areas with open public access or associated with active turf cutting. Fire activity during the last 7 days has been focussed on peat cutting areas.

Visitors to public recreational areas should cooperate with all fire safety requirements and not light open fires or barbeques in high-risk areas. Landowners and managers should remain vigilant to all fire activity and report all suspicious activity to An Garda Siochana. Rural users should cooperate with all requests regarding fire safety, obey all relevant bye-laws and be
considerate in parking vehicles so as not to impede access by emergency vehicles.Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD and Minister of State with special responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, Michael Healy-Rae TD, have issued a warning to landowners and members of the public to be mindful of fire risks during the current fine weather.  

Minister Heydon said: “Given the fire risk on bog and mountain land in Spring, it is important that no one should start an illegal fire in these areas. Wildfires can put homes and livelihoods at direct risk, lead to unnecessary diversions of vital emergency service resources and cause considerable disruption to rural communities, wildlife and habitats. We have seen this unfold for real in some of our rural communities in recent weeks during the unusually dry Spring. Nobody should light fires in bogs, forests or other potentially flammable areas at this time of year.” 

The Minister continued: “The farming community has the most important role to play in the control of fire in our landscapes through the appropriate management of land, vegetation and potential fuels. Reduction and maintenance of high-risk vegetation (such as purple moor grass, heather, and gorse/whin) in high fire risk areas is critical to managing this risk. Some of these key preventative actions in high risk areas are directly supported through the network of schemes and European Innovation Partnership projects funded by the Department, for example through ACRES. We are asking for everyone’s cooperation in the prevention of wildfires and to join in the protection of these lands over the coming months.”  

The Department has issued a Condition Orange – High Fire Risk warning which runs from 3pm on Thursday to midday on Monday, May 19. The Department activated its Fire Danger Rating System back in March for the 2025 fire season and the current fire warning is the seventh such notice issued this year. So far more than 3,000 hectares of land are known to have been affected by fires this year, mostly on open bog and mountain lands. Fire Danger Notices issued by the Department give forest owners and land managers time to prepare for oncoming periods of fire risk. 

The Minister added: “Wildfire is an easily preventable threat to our hills, bogs, forests and habitats. Everyone must play their part in supporting our emergency services and ensuring they are not needlessly diverted. Both landowners and the wider public, whether they are at work or enjoying the countryside, should be mindful of the significant risks of fire at this time of year and be aware of the damage to land and habitats caused by illegal burning.”

Minister Healy-Rae advised forest owners and managers to check and update fire plans and other relevant contingencies such as insurance, access, water points, and private helicopter contracts etc., and to be prepared well in advance of high fire risk phases. 

Minister Healy-Rae said: “People living in rural areas should also assess wildfire risks to their properties and prepare accordingly. Dangerous flammable vegetation immediately around homes in high-risk areas should be removed, especially around oil tanks and other fuel stores. There has been a very significant increase in the use of outdoor amenities and forest recreation sites by the public in recent years, which is to be welcomed. However, a larger proportion of forest fires can now be attributed to recreational users and activities. Forest visitors are reminded to behave responsibly, to observe relevant local bye-laws and to park considerately so as not to impede access of emergency vehicles to incidents.”

“There is a very firm link in recent years between wildfire ignitions and illegal dumping and burning of domestic waste in many areas, and malicious burning at forest amenity sites and turf bogs open to the public. A significant proportion of land burned to date during 2025 is land associated with turf cutting. My Department asks all countryside users to be vigilant, to report any suspicious activity to An Garda Siochana, and to report any uncontrolled or unattended fires immediately to the Fire and Emergency Services via 112/999 service,” Minister Healy-Rae continued.