Huge wildfire erupts near Scots housing estate amid ‘extreme' blaze warning
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A MASSIVE wildfire broke out near a Scots housing estate last night.
The gorse blaze reported at around 8.30pm on Wednesday, saw five fire appliances rushing to tackle the wildfire close to homes in Newtonhill, Aberdeenshire.
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A wildfire broke out near a Scottish housing estate last night
Credit: Fubar News
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Five fire appliances tackled the wildfire close to homes in Newtonhill, Aberdeenshire
Credit: Fubar News
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Four pumps were still on site before 11pm last night
Credit: Fubar News
Dramatic images shared by Facebook page FUBAR show towering flames and billowing black smoke dangerously close to the residential area.
Four pumps were still on site before 11pm last night.
Firefighters confirmed the blaze has been contained and posed no threat to the wider community.
This comes just hours after the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service issued an "extreme risk" warning for wildfires across Scotland, lasting from May 15 to 19.
Fire chiefs are urging Scots to ditch naked flames as the country faces an "extreme risk" of wildfires from Thursday.
With fine weather tempting people into the countryside, officials fear careless campfires and barbecues could spark devastating blazes lasting for days.
Scottish Fire and Rescue has ramped up warnings to the highest level jumping from "very high" this week to "extreme" by Friday.
Area Commander Michael Humphreys is the SFRS Wildfire Lead and said: "Responsible human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting.
"That's why we're urging people to absolutely avoid the use of naked flames, including barbecues, at this time.
"It only takes one spark to start a wildfire and things can get out of hand very, very quickly.
Huge wildfires break out on UK moors sending thick plumes of smoke billowing through sky with road & pub forced to shut
"Discarded cigarettes and unsupervised campfires pose a significant threat, so it's vital to follow all safety advice when outdoors and to make sure you are familiar with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code at all times."
Remote and rural communities run the highest risk of experiencing significant damage, Area Commander Humphreys added.
Last week, fire crews tackled a huge blaze at a remote area of forest near Fauldhouse, West Lothian.
Emergency crews raced to the scene on Saturday and were still in attendance on Tuesday.
At its height, around 50 firefighters were working to extinguish the fire, supported by a helicopter dropping water onto the affected area.
And a spate of huge wildfires broke out across the country last month as Scotland was hit by an early April heatwave.
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