Landowners and visitors to Co Kerry have been warned to be vigilant when picnicking and using matches outdoors, after a number of fires in the countryside over the past 10 days.
The fire service in Kerry has had 40 call-outs in the period, mostly because of gorse fires which have gone dangerously out of control.
One of the most serious occurred on the outskirts of Tralee at Curraghgraigue near the Foley's Glen area of the Slieve Mish Mountains in the early hours of Saturday morning. Flames, several feet high, came within yards of houses.
The fire service fought the blaze until the early hours.
Senior fire officers said the mix of dry weather and slow growth, as well as deliberate attempts to burn the mountains to encourage new growth for sheep grazing are responsible.
This year, burning should have ceased on March 1st, under the terms of the Wildlife Act ( 2000). The Act is being ignored in several areas, however, and burning of gorse and scrub is still taking place.
Kerry County Council have issued warnings to landowners and others setting fire to gorse. They are liable for fines of up to €1,900 for burning out of season, in addition to call-out fees.
However, many of the areas being set alight are commonage, and moorland used by a number of farmers, and it is difficult to pin-point who is responsible.
Meanwhile, in Killarney yesterday the town council and local firefighters held a reception for 150 firefighters from the US.
The firefighters are taking part in "A Time for Healing", a programme to strengthen bonds between US and European firefighters in the wake of September 11th.