Firefighters tackle one wildfire every day in Scotland during peak season

New statistics from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) show that last spring and early summer, firefighters dealt with an average of one daily wildfire, totaling 133 incidents between March and June 2023, the peak season for wildfires in Scotland.

Of these, 48 were large, covering over a hectare each. Over a third occurred in the Highlands, and ten in Na h-Eileanan Siar. Notably, June saw an intense period of simultaneous wildfires due to prolonged dry and warm conditions.

This included two of largest wildfires recorded last year, at Cannich near Inverness and the Ardnamurchan peninsula in Kinlochmoidart, which involved hundreds of firefighters and community partners committed over several weeks.

“Wildfires are extremely dangerous as they can spread rapidly over many hectares of land. Careless behaviour is often the root cause of wildfires which have the potential to burn for days or weeks, placing a significant drain on our crews.

“With sensible precautions, the public can play a crucial part in preventing wildfires from damaging wildlife, environment and rural communities.”

Deputy Assistant Chief Officer (DACO) Bruce Farquharson, SFRS Wildfire Lead.

Wildfire danger assessments from the Scottish Wildfire Forum guide firefighting efforts, and during alerts, the public is urged to refrain from starting outdoor fires and to responsibly dispose of items like cigarettes.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service aims to raise awareness about conditions conducive to wildfires, whether caused by frost in colder months or dry conditions in spring and summer, exacerbated by strong winds.

For further reading, check out our recent story on how the coastguard, fire, mountain rescue and other agencies gathered on Lindisfarne off the coast of Northumberland, to test tactics to deal with wildfires and protect this area of outstanding natural beauty in the coming months. Read more here about this multi-agency approach.

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