2757. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to enforce mandatory protection and enforcement for combustible fire zones in existing forests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62697/26]

2759. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the protective fire measures in place to protect native oak forests given currently sitka spruce are planted in areas butting up against native forests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62695/26]

2766. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures being taken to ensure the buffer zones between forestry (sitka spruce) and dwellings are being adequately maintained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62694/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2757, 2759 and 2766 together.

Wildfires do not normally originate in forests, rather, most wildfire activity in Ireland start on open land outside of forests, typically moorland and mountain land with vegetation such as heather, gorse and purple moor grass. Where forests are affected, this is usually as a result of fire advancing from open non-forested lands.

My Department supports the use of firebreaks by landowners where there is a potential risk of fire to a person’s land or forest. A well-maintained firebreak can act as an effective barrier to an advancing wildfire.

Guidance on fire prevention actions and the provision and maintenance of firebreaks is covered within the Forestry Standards Manual published by my Department. This includes advice that firebreaks, where required, should be maintained by the landowner as a vegetation free strip of 6 metres in width and should generally be placed along the external boundaries of forests or any other land being protected from fires. The Manual also includes advice that landowners should check their firebreaks at least once a year. Where my Department is providing grant assistance, protection against fires using firebreaks is often stipulated as a condition of grant aid, and grant aid can be withheld following a Departmental inspection, where this condition is not met.

In addition to the above, when planting or replanting a forest, a condition of the licence will stipulate that trees must be set back a minimum of 30 metres from any house or associated building.

Because fires normally starts on open ground and spreads into forests there is no additional fire risk to native oak forests if they are planted beside Sitka spruce forests.