Aerial images will be crucial in Mournes recovery project

Aerial images will be crucial in Mournes recovery project

26 May 2021

DRONE footage of the huge area of the Mournes ravaged by the recent malicious wildfire is being forensically analysed to help put together a detailed recovery plan.

The news was confirmed during an online public meeting held last week when it was confirmed that 950 acres of precious habitat was destroyed during the raging inferno at the end of last month which took three days for almost 100 firefighters working in gruelling conditions to put out.

Last week’s meeting was attended by senior officials from a number of key agencies including the Fire and Rescue Service, National Trust, Mournes Heritage Trust and Environment Agency.

The meeting was the first of two organised to discuss the wildfire and its aftermath with Newry, Mourne and Down councillors meeting with the same agencies on Monday evening and agreeing to hold a conference to look at the management of the local environment, land and visitors within the local authority area.

Last Thursday’s meeting — which was organised by South Down MLA Colin McGrath and hosted by the Green Party’s John Hardy — heard of the devastating impact of the huge wildfire and the steps being taken to plan for the regeneration of hundreds of acres of land in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

The blaze, which was one of the biggest gorse fires in living memory in Northern Ireland, was started deliberately at a walkway at the Bloody Bridge area before spreading rapidly due to tinder dry conditions and wind, leaving a trail of environmental destruction in its wake.

While it is believed that the fire ravaged mountain range could take years to recover, there is some good news with confirmation that most of the land did not suffer a so-called deep burn and that precious seed banks may not have been destroyed during the inferno which could be seen for up to 20 miles away.

The need for a long term strategy to deal with the Mournes alongside recurrent and ring-fenced funding to finance a co-ordinated management plan for the world famous mountain range has also been highlighted.

It was also revealed last week that the Fire and Rescue Service used satellite imagery to identify hot spots across the Mournes as firefighters battled to bring the blaze under control.

The drone footage will be analysed by the National Trust in conjunction with other agencies to draw up a recovery plan with best practice used in other parts of the world to regenerate land ravaged by wildfires. 

All available expertise will be used to deal with the aftermath of last month’s blaze given the sensitivities of such a specialist area previously teaming with wildlife.

Mourne Heritage Trust chief executive Martin Carey, said the early indications from work that has been carried out to date was “quite reassuring” as the fire was relatively quick moving.

He revealed there were some very specialist plants that are genetically distinct to the Mournes with juniper a perfect example, explaining that the strain found in the Mournes was unique.

Mr Carey said the Mourne Heritage Trust had been propagating and replanting juniper in certain areas, including Millstone mountain which was one of the areas quite badly affected by the recent fire.

“A lot of people say the flora will recover, but there is a whole swathe of fauna that has been wiped out,” he continued. “While the flora will recover, it is not necessarily a given that it will do so in a healthy way which is why we need good management.”

Mr Carey said from an initial look at the damage and not wanting to downplay the severity of the blaze, Trust staff who have been on the ground and had a look at it and, formed by previous burn surveys in other areas, are of the opinion that relatively few places appear to have suffered a deep burn.

“These first indications are quite reassuring and while some areas where the fire came up against a bit of a cliff it was driven down into the ground, the fire appears to have been relatively quick moving. That is good in terms of the outlook for the survival of rich stock and seed bank and the lower stems of plants,” he said.

It was confirmed at last week’s meeting that almost 50% of the land destroyed by the wildfire is owned and managed by the National Trust with Slieve Donard and Slieve Commedagh among the worst affected areas with upland heath and so-called blanket bog badly damaged.

The Trust says these areas are home to many important heather species and mosses which were severely impacted by the blaze and are also an important habitat for wildlife from ground nesting birds to newts and lizards to Irish hares.