Farmers on Achill Island are calling for action from the Government and Mayo County Council after a rise in dangerous roadside fires.
Many of the fires are believed to be caused by discarded cigarette butts.
The Achill IFA Commonage Fire Watch Team has recorded 12 wildfires in the area over the past three years, with three already reported in 2025 alone.
The most severe blaze occurred in 2023, when thousands of acres of grazing land, habitats, and rare flora and fauna were destroyed.
The fire, which originated from the roadside in Bunnacurry, became so dangerous that an entire local village was placed on evacuation alert and it took the combined efforts of locals, the Achill Fire Brigade, and helicopter support to bring it under control.
Risk
A spokesperson for the Achill IFA Commonage Fire Watch Team said that these fires are putting farmland and entire villages at risk.
“The facts are clear: they're starting on roadsides, mostly in dry conditions, and largely in areas with reduced roadside grazing and particularly where roadside maintenance has been scaled back in line with environmental protection guidelines, resulting in increased fire risk.”
The fire watch team have also called for more public awareness, particularly among non-locals and people unfamiliar with the region’s high fire risk in dry months, from late March through to late autumn.
In addition, the team is calling on the Road Safety Authority, Mayo County Council, the Department of Agriculture, and the National Parks and Wildlife Service to implement a public safety signage campaign along the high-risk roads.
“These fires are not accidents. They’re the result of careless human behaviour and policy inaction,” said the Achill IFA Commonage Fire Watch Team. \ Philip Doyle
It is requesting at least 15 large, highly visible fire risk signs on the main route to and across Achill Island; up to 30 additional smaller signs on secondary roads and entry points; clear warning symbols that include a cigarette butt and fire icon; and consultation with the fire watch team around these proposals.
“These fires are not accidents. They’re the result of careless human behaviour and policy inaction,” the group added.
“If this was happening near Dublin or Galway, it would have been addressed long ago. We’re demanding the same level of respect, protection, and responsibility for Achill Island and its people.”
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Farmers on Achill Island are calling for action from the Government and Mayo County Council after a rise in dangerous roadside fires.
Many of the fires are believed to be caused by discarded cigarette butts.
The Achill IFA Commonage Fire Watch Team has recorded 12 wildfires in the area over the past three years, with three already reported in 2025 alone.
The most severe blaze occurred in 2023, when thousands of acres of grazing land, habitats, and rare flora and fauna were destroyed.
The fire, which originated from the roadside in Bunnacurry, became so dangerous that an entire local village was placed on evacuation alert and it took the combined efforts of locals, the Achill Fire Brigade, and helicopter support to bring it under control.
Risk
A spokesperson for the Achill IFA Commonage Fire Watch Team said that these fires are putting farmland and entire villages at risk.
“The facts are clear: they're starting on roadsides, mostly in dry conditions, and largely in areas with reduced roadside grazing and particularly where roadside maintenance has been scaled back in line with environmental protection guidelines, resulting in increased fire risk.”
The fire watch team have also called for more public awareness, particularly among non-locals and people unfamiliar with the region’s high fire risk in dry months, from late March through to late autumn.
In addition, the team is calling on the Road Safety Authority, Mayo County Council, the Department of Agriculture, and the National Parks and Wildlife Service to implement a public safety signage campaign along the high-risk roads.
“These fires are not accidents. They’re the result of careless human behaviour and policy inaction,” said the Achill IFA Commonage Fire Watch Team. \ Philip Doyle
It is requesting at least 15 large, highly visible fire risk signs on the main route to and across Achill Island; up to 30 additional smaller signs on secondary roads and entry points; clear warning symbols that include a cigarette butt and fire icon; and consultation with the fire watch team around these proposals.
“These fires are not accidents. They’re the result of careless human behaviour and policy inaction,” the group added.
“If this was happening near Dublin or Galway, it would have been addressed long ago. We’re demanding the same level of respect, protection, and responsibility for Achill Island and its people.”
Read more
‘Little to nothing has been done to improve wildfire prevention’- UFU
Fire extinguished on Cavan pig farm
Farmers experience hottest March in 13 years
Number of farm building fires up 10% in 2022
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