A major fire which broke out on the sand dune system outside Tramore, Co Waterford late last night has caused significant damage to wildlife and habitats in the designated area of scientific interest.

Up to 10 hectares (100m squared) of surface area on the eastern side of the sand dunes is believed to have been burned by the fire which started before 11pm yesterday and continued for a number of hours before being brought under control by the fire service.

About 25 personnel from fire stations in Tramore, Waterford city, Dunmore East and Kilmacthomas used five pumps and three support vehicles in difficult conditions while they fought the fire.

“It’s a long way down from where the car park is and they had to hike across the sand burrows with their gear,” senior fire officer Des O’Brien said of the firefighters.

The cause of the fire is unknown although Mr O’Brien said the grass on the dunes is “tinder dry” at the moment and it may have been set off by a discarded cigarette butt. “It was described down there as the largest fire they’d ever seen,” he added.

Such fires happen from time to time on the sand-dunes, often caused by campfires or disposable barbecues which have not been properly extinguished, but not to the extent of the latest incident.

Tramore-based field ecologist and Green Party candidate Grace O’Sullivan said the marram grass on the dunes hosts a variety of wildlife, including birds such as the skylark.

“The impact is on the wildlife that would be living in that area,” she said. “Particularly at this time of year when you would have birds nesting. In addition to that, you have all the vegetation coverage where they would normally hide out”

However Ms O’Sullivan said the dunes should regenerate. “In as much as it’s tragic for the moment and species have been displaced and vegetation has been burned, at this time of year the growth will be quite good. Within six weeks to three months the vegetation will start to reappear.”

This is partly because the marram grass has roots which are buried up to 1.5 metres into the dune system and will be able to regrow at the surface.

The fire was under control by about 3.30am , according to the fire service, and extinguished at about 4am. “Hopefully it’s not malicious. It would appear accidental and there were no injuries,” Mr O’Brien said. Gardaí in Tramore are not treating the blaze as suspicious.