'Apocalyptic' - Irish landscapes damaged by fires
Severe summer wildfires have devastated large areas of the Irish landscape, causing significant damage to biodiversity and soil stability. Experts warn that the loss of vegetation increases the risk of future flooding in the affected regions.
Why it matters
The destruction of peatlands and natural drainage systems poses a long-term threat to environmental resilience and flood management.
High on the Dublin Wicklow Mountains, perched over the Glenasmole Valley, fires burned for over 20 days during the summer.
In total, 240 hectares of the land was left charred, the blaze tearing through the bone-dry vegetation.
"Well, everything is lost here. There's nothing left. This is pretty much an apocalyptic landscape at the moment," said Ann Fitzpartick, a conservation officer with the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
The impact on biodiversity is said to be significant as 1% of the park was damaged.
"So not only do we lose the flora, the vegetative layer, the covering, which is of course very important for biodiversity, for the animals and the plants that we're going to find here, but we also have lost the kind of the essential components that provide the ecosystem services that are really important for landscapes like this," Ms Fitzpatrick said.
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