The large wildfire burning in the Cairngorms National Park has been contained, a Scottish Government minister has said, with the blaze affecting a near four-mile long stretch of countryside.
The fire, which has been burning for more than 24 hours, has led to evacuations of tourist sites and other properties around Glenmore near Aviemore.
Firefighters say they are facing a “protracted incident” as they seek to prevent the flames spreading to other areas.
The fire started in heathland at Ryvoan Bothy, near Nethy Bridge, late on Wednesday morning.
The RSPB, which runs the nearby Loch Garten nature reserve in the Scottish Highlands, has said there is an “urgent” need for a firefighting helicopter.
There have been no reports of any casualties.
The Scottish Government’s Justice Secretary Neil Gray, who has responsibility for resilience within his portfolio, said the decision to evacuate campsites and other properties nearby had been taken as a precaution.
He said: “This wildfire in the Cairngorms National Park is currently contained thanks to the exceptional work of firefighters who have been on the scene since Wednesday morning.
“Public safety is the priority, which is why the decision to evacuate a campsite and various properties has been taken as a precautionary measure.
“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.”
The RSPB said approximately 300 hectares of land have been burnt so far.
The charity said 27 of its staff and volunteers were out helping fight the blaze on Wednesday, using equipment including all-terrain vehicles with water bowsers, backpack hoses and shovels.
It 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.
Some locals 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.”
She added: “It’s like going to somewhere in America during tornado season.
“You know what you’re getting into.”
The fire service said the blaze is burning through 10in high heather and small trees and continuing at a “steady pace”.
A strict cordon remains in place and people have been warned not to travel to the area or attempt to access Glenmore Forest Park, Loch Morlich or the surrounding area while firefighting operations are ongoing.
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.”
Duncan Ferguson lives in Glenmore, a village near Aviemore.
Mr Ferguson, operations manager at the Spey Fishery Board, said police came to his house during Wednesday afternoon, telling residents to “leave your pets and go”.
Cairngorms National Park Authority said firefighters have been working with landowners to contain the incident and create fire breaks, with high winds causing the fire to spread across areas of trees and woodland.
A spokesperson for the authority said: “The ongoing incident near Ryvoan Bothy is deeply concerning, and we are grateful to all those who are working to tackle the fire.
“We would echo the advice of SFRS to avoid the area while firefighters and partners work to bring this blaze under control.”
The blaze comes while parts of Scotland are at very high risk of wildfire over the next few days.
The SFRS, in conjunction with the Scottish Wildfire Forum, has issued wildfire warnings for the central Highlands, southern and eastern Scotland.
The alert, warning of a very high risk of wildfire, came into force on Wednesday and lasts until Monday.
It follows days of hot and dry weather in many parts of the country.
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