BARBECUES and recreational fires will be banned in the Cairngorms National Park during the summer months in a bid to combat the growing number of wildfires in the area.
Scottish ministers approved the new byelaw, which will come into effect next year, and will ban any use of barbecues or recreational fires between April 1 and September 30 every year.
It allows the Park Authority to progress a range of significant wildfire mitigation measures, alongside the UK’s first Integrated Wildfire Management Plan.
The ban follows an extensive consultation process in the National Park, which the authority said showed that an overwhelming majority of residents and visitors were in favour of a fire management byelaw.
The approval from the Scottish Government comes months after a major wildfire on the northern boundary of the Cairngorms National Park, in Nairnshire and Moray, which further highlighted the importance of close collaboration to reduce the chances of similar incidents happening in the future.
Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, commended the park authority’s decision as she said the wildfires around Scotland earlier this year show how urgent this issue is.
She said: “In introducing a fire byelaw of this kind, the Cairngorms National Park Authority is leading the way in safeguarding Scotland’s natural and cultural heritage from climate crisis threats.
“The wildfires we saw around Scotland earlier this year only remind us of how urgent this issue is, and I commend the Park Authority and partners on the huge amount of work they are doing to take forward this byelaw and a range of other mitigation measures.”
In preparation for the byelaw coming into force in April 2026, the park authority and its partners said they are taking forward a range of measures, including upping patrols at key sites and delivering extensive training to the park’s rangers.
The park authority will also work with the council to put in place road signs at key entrance points and hotspots, informing people that there are no fires or barbecues allowed, along with launching a wildfire communications campaign to spread awareness.
Scotland’s wildfire risk is increasing, with climate modelling showing longer drought periods in future years.
The National Park is home to around 18,000 residents, as well as 25% of the UK’s rare and endangered species and around half of Scotland’s ancient pinewoods.
It also welcomes around two million visitors annually.
On Tuesday, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) issued an extreme wildfire warning across large parts of Scotland this week, and is the first to be issued in September for five years.
It follows another 12 wildfire risk alerts between March and August this year.
Sandy Bremner, convener of the Cairngorms National Park Authority, said it's up to everyone to play their part so that the national park can be enjoyed by generations to come.
He said: "The Cairngorms National Park is loved and cherished by so many of us, and we all want to protect and safeguard this incredible place.
“This byelaw will help us to do just that. Now that it has been approved by Scottish ministers, we're committed to taking forward a range of practical measures to reduce wildfire risk in the national park – from signage and communications to training and enforcement.
“Of course, it's up to all of us to play our part so that the national park can be enjoyed by generations to come, and the new fire byelaw is just one piece of the jigsaw.
“From our Climate Adaptation Fund to our integrated wildfire management plan, the park authority is committed to working in collaboration with communities and partners to reduce the impacts of climate change and support all those impacted by the threat of wildfires.”
