FIREFIGHTERS have warned that people may need to “immediately” evacuate their homes as a six-kilometre long wildfire in the Cairngorms continues to burn.
In an update on the blaze near Glenmore, which was first reported at around midday on Wednesday, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said that some properties had already been evacuated and that more may have to be.
Four fire appliances, a specialist wildfire unit, an additional 4x4 vehicle, and RSPB rangers are all in the national park tackling the ongoing fire, the SFRS said, as it urged people to “stay away from the area”.
A statement from the fire service said: “The fire is currently affecting an area of approximately six kilometres, measuring around two to three feet in length, and is burning through 10-inch heather and small trees, with the fire continuing at a steady pace.
“A strict cordon remains in place, and road closures continue to support the emergency response. People must not travel to the area or attempt to access Glenmore Forest Park, Loch Morlich, or the surrounding area while firefighting operations are ongoing.”
The fire service went on: “A number of properties and visitor centres remain evacuated as a safety precaution due to their proximity to the wildfire. Any additional evacuation measures will continue to be assessed as the incident progresses and in line with changing conditions.
“If asked to evacuate, members of the public and local residents should do so immediately. Evacuation decisions are taken only where there is genuine risk to public safety.”
Duncan Ferguson, who lives in Glenmore and is an operations manager at the Spey Fishery Board, said police came to his house on Wednesday afternoon telling residents to “leave your pets and go”.
Deputy assistant chief officer Ian McMeekin said: "This remains a protracted incident, and I want to thank our firefighters for their continued commitment and determination in challenging conditions. I would also like to thank our partner agencies, landowners and local organisations whose support has been invaluable throughout this response.
"The safety of our communities remains our priority, and we will continue to assess the need for any further evacuations alongside multi-agency partners as the incident progresses.
"The wildfire risk across Scotland remains high. We are asking everyone to follow the advice in place, stay away from the affected area and help reduce the risk of further wildfires while our crews continue their work to bring this incident to a safe conclusion."
It comes as Justice Secretary Neil Gray said that the wildfire is "currently contained thanks to the exceptional work of firefighters".
"Public safety is the priority, which is why the decision to evacuate a campsite and various properties has been taken as a precautionary measure," he said.
"I want to thank the firefighters, police, land managers, volunteers and all partners who are doing an outstanding job keeping people, property and the natural environment as safe as possible.
"The Scottish Government continues to monitor the situation closely and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed they have adequate resources committed to this incident.
"A very high wildfire warning was issued on Wednesday and continues to be in place across Scotland until Monday. Everyone in the countryside is urged to avoid naked flames, choose picnics over barbecues, and fully extinguish cigarettes.
"I ask everyone in the affected area to continue following advice from the authorities and to stay up to date with the latest guidance."
The RSPB, which runs the nearby Loch Garten nature reserve, said on Thursday that approximately 300 hectares of land have been burnt so far.
The charity added that there is currently no helicopter support available for fighting the blaze, saying it believes they have all been deployed to wildfires south of the Border.
Dr Zak Campbell-Lochrie, a lecturer in Fire Science at the University of Edinburgh, said that “sustained periods of hot and dry weather across the UK have provided the background conditions to enable the widespread wildfires reported over recent days”.
“These hot and dry conditions lead to drier vegetation which is more susceptible to ignition and which can subsequently spread more rapidly, particularly when coupled with windier conditions,” he said.
"Stronger wind conditions promote faster wildfire spread by promoting the drying of vegetation, and, when aligned with the direction of fire spread, can also increase the rate of energy transferred by wildfire flame fronts to the unburnt fuel ahead of the fire front.
"As heatwave conditions continue in many parts of the UK, it is important to remember that wildfires in the UK are typically human-caused. Therefore, we all have a role to play in reducing the risk, by following warnings from fire and rescue services about the use of barbeques and open fires, and accessing natural areas responsibly.”
Some locals have expressed concerns that tourists were still trying to access the area despite road closures being in place.
One local woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “The absolute selfishness of tourists – isn’t that insane?
“‘There’s a fire but we still want to go to Loch Morlich – I think it’s just ignorance.”
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