Scotland wildfire warning as fire chiefs say most of country at 'high risk'

Daily Record

07-05-2025

The danger assessments will be in place until Monday and members of the public have been urged to behave responsibly in the countryside.
Most of Scotland is at 'high risk' from wildfires until Monday, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has warned.
A 'very high danger assessment' covering the entire country was issued on Wednesday and is due to expire on Friday.
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The north of Scotland will be covered by an 'extreme danger assessment' starting on Friday, while the whole mainland will be covered by an 'extreme danger assessment' from Saturday.
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The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) issued the warnings in conjunction with the Scottish Wildfire Forum (SWF) and urged people who live within or who may enter rural environments to exercise caution.
The danger assessments will be in place until Monday and members of the public have been urged to behave responsibly in the countryside.
Wildfires have the potential to burn for days and devastate vast areas of land and wildlife, with blazes ravaging rural areas such as Glen Rosa on the Isle of Arran in April, and can also threaten the welfare of nearby communities.
Blazes broke out in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, which were visible from people's homes, and also the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh, last month.
Joe Fitzpatrick, an SFRS station commander, said: 'We are asking the public to exercise extreme caution and think twice before using anything involving a naked flame. Many rural and remote communities are hugely impacted by wildfires, which can cause significant damage.
'Livestock, farmland, wildlife, protected woodland and sites of special scientific interest can all be devastated by these fires, as can the lives of people living and working in rural communities.
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'These fires can also have a hugely negative impact on the environment and the release of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.
'Human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting, so it is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments and always follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.'
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It comes as a disposable barbecue caused a fire around the size of 'two rugby pitches' in the Trossachs killing nesting birds and other wildlife.
Dramatic photos show the devastation caused by the blaze covering two hectares in the Glen Finglas region of the national park on May 3. The disposable grill was found with a charred burger still on top after the blaze took place.
Glen Finglas is the biggest Woodland Trust site in the UK. It lies at the heart of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and is part of the Great Trossachs Forest National Nature Reserve.
George Anderson of Woodland Trust Scotland said: 'An area roughly the size of two rugby pitches has been devastated, and at this time of year that means hundreds of nesting birds have been killed, along with lizards, slow worms, voles and other wildlife.
'If someone had taken a picnic instead of lighting a barbecue this could all have been avoided.'