Air Corps Helicopters Attend To Wildfires In North Kildare

Air Corps helicopters have dumped thousands of tonnes of water on wildfires in north Kildare, which had threatened an explosives factory.

At least 150 hectares of state forestry plantations have been destroyed by fire in the last few days.

Military helicopters have been supporting firefighting efforts at Hortland in County Kildare -- where some 60 hectares of forestry has been burnt.

The operation comes after a number of gorse fires were started deliberately around the country.

A blaze in the Wicklow Mountains burned for a number of days in April, likewise in the Blackstairs Mountains in the south east of the country.

It led to concerns over farmers and landowners burning vegetation on dry land.

Fire services have condemned the illegal burning, saying it put crews in unnecessary danger during the pandemic.

The Irish Wildlife Trust have said farmers need to have land which can be grazed on in order to qualify for Common Agricultural Policy payments.