Since this class started I have continued to
learn more and more about the country of Ireland and the Natural hazards that
take place. Although I have found that Ireland is a relatively calm and subtle
place to live, there are a few minor hazards that affect the country and the
people living there. From coastal erosion, to earthquakes and wild fires,
Ireland experiences a wide variety of natural hazards, however, unlike most
places in the world they seem to not do much damage. A few of the most common
hazards in Ireland that I am going to talk about are coastal erosion and
wildfires.
As far as coastal erosion goes, since Ireland
is on the coast and mostly surrounded by water, they experience a good amount
of erosion caused by heavy waves and frequent storms. What I have found is that
Ireland’s beaches undergo a lot of devastation caused by storms, which wipe out
dunes and structure located close to the water. Houses that are situated fairly
close to the water are at great danger from erosion and damage. Ireland has
tried methods of reconstruction and engineering to try and prevent further
damage to the beaches and sand. By creating barrier like walls around the
beaches made of gravel, large rocks, and sand, people are trying to eliminate
the damage caused to the cliffs. However, if Mother Nature has anything to say
about it, those barriers are not going to hold up very long when the sea levels
rise and larger storms occur.
Just like living on any coast, if you build a
house right next to the ocean, you are susceptible to the hazards that come
along with it. Obviously the most risky and harming places you can build a
house would be anywhere next to the water or on a cliff where the weather of
the ocean could possibly do damage to your home. To stay safe in the country of
Ireland from hazards, I have found that the country is filled with endless
backcountry and rural areas that are great for families and people wanting to
settle down and relax.
However, it seems to contradict itself when I
say that living in the backcountry is safe because anywhere you go, you are at
risk for some sort of hazard. If you live on the beach there are hazards, but
if you live in the mountains there are also hazards. As far as living in the
mountains and rural areas, people are at risk for wildfires. While researching
I have found that wildfires are a big part of Ireland and can be dangerous to
the people who live in the outskirts of town. Form results of high winds and
dry weather, fire amongst the months of the summer are extremely common. From April
29th through may 2nd in 2011, the Northern Ireland fire
service responded to 755 fires around the country, which was an extremely
ridiculous amount of activity. Just like anywhere else in the world, wildfires
are caused by dry grass and chemicals in the soil, mixed with high winds and
hot weather. In most circumstances, preventing wildfires is a challenge because
the weather is going to do what it is going to do. People can prevent wildfires
by doing simple things like not throwing out cigarettes, not letting their burn
piles get out of hand, and paying attention when they are mowing lawns.
Building a house deep in the mountains with no
exit is never a good idea in the first place, but people who do live in the
mountains and rural areas, which are susceptible to fire, need to be extra
cautious when working outside.
Like I mentioned earlier, anywhere you live you
are at risk to some sort of natural hazard, whether you live near the beach or
the middle of nowhere, being cautious of your surroundings and helping to
prevent any possible hazard is always good.
http://www.iffpa.ie/Sectors/IFFPA/IFFPA.nsf/vPages/Information_Resources~presentations:-forest-fires-in-ireland---impact-on-industry,-the-environment-and-the-emergency-services-10-02-2012/$file/Forest%20Fire-%20Cause%20and%20effects%20-%20Ciaran%20Nugent.pdf
