Anton McNulty
FIREFIGHTERS tackling a forest fire half a mile from the Corrib gas terminal in Bellanaboy had to return to the scene yesterday (Monday) morning after the fire blazed up again just hours after it was thought to be under control.
The fire broke out in the Collite-owned forest close to the Glenamoy river at five o’clock on Sunday evening and three units of the fire service from Belmullet, Crossmolina and Ballina were called out to tackle the blaze.
The fire units fought the blaze until close to midnight on Sunday before bringing the fire under control. However, in the morning Coillte forest officials called the fire brigade again after the fire started to re-ignite at around ten o’clock, but the flames were soon brought under control and two fire units remained at the scene to ensure the fire did not blaze up again.
The Chief Fire Officer in Mayo, Mr Seamus Murphy, told The Mayo News on Monday afternoon that they had ‘no idea’ how the fire started but it is believed the dry conditions are likely to have caused the blaze which has caused extensive damage to the forest. He added that the fire brigade would wait at the scene because there were still ‘hot spots’ and there was a genuine fear the fire would re-ignite.
Vegetation is very dry and there is a risk that some hot spots might re-ignite. We have no idea at the moment how the fire could have started and there are 101 ways it could have started. But I would like to advise people who are in forests to be extremely careful with cigarettes because the smallest thing could start a fire in these dry conditions.
Mr Murphy explained that no houses were in danger from the blaze but Shell to Sea spokesman, Mr John Monaghan, said the fire was ‘too close for comfort’ and highlighted the danger of building a ‘highly combustible’ terminal in the middle of a forest. He said that there was a lot of smoke from the fire and felt they were lucky the conditions were calm because if there was a breeze, the fire would have got ‘out of control’.
Meanwhile, an information evening hosted by RPS, the independent consultants employed by the Corrib Gas Partners to find a new modified route for the Corrib onshore gas pipeline, will take place this evening (Tuesday) in the Broadhaven Bay Hotel in Belmullet. The purpose of the event is to outline the pipeline corridor options and over 200 registered landowners have been invited to attend.
A statement from RPS Director, Mr PJ Rudden, stated that they were seeking input from the community before making a full evaluation and would carry out a short-list of the preferred route corridors to honour the recommendations issued by Mr Peter Cassells. However, a spokesperson for Shell to Sea said the RPS process was ‘too little’ and did not take into account other design aspects of the project.
THE latest arrest as a result of ongoing clashes between protestors and gardaí over the Corrib gas project took place late on Monday evening.
One man was arrested at Pullathomas Pier after an altercation when a group of protestors confronted Shell contractors who were attempting to locate a security cabin at the pier.
There was a series of running scuffles and gardaí and protestors clashed as the cabin was being put in place. The man who was arrested was taken to Belmullet Garda Station.
The cabin is to be used by a boat crew which has been contracted to undertake a seabed survey in the area as part of Shell Ireland’s attempts to find a new route for an onshore pipeline linking its offshore well to a €200 million refinery at Bellanaboy.
