Scottish fire chief calls for stronger wildfire prevention and preparedness

In an open letter published today, Chief Fire Officer Stuart Stevens has called for collective action to strengthen Scotland’s wildfire prevention and preparedness after the Cairngorms National Park wildfire saw hundreds of firefighters tackle the prolonged incident that was stood down last week.

Stevens praised the first responders and partners for the response to the wildfires that started on 15 July, recognising “the exceptional commitment” of his staff who who responded “in demanding and arduous conditions.” He also paid tribute to the significant partnership response, adding that “the collective effort demonstrated the very best of Scotland’s resilience arrangements.”

At the same time, Stevens says that there is much to learn from the major incident with a range of debrief activity already taking place and including an independent review to ensure all voices can be heard.

The service says it works closely with the Scottish Wildfire Forum with SFRS publishing its own wildfire strategy in 2023, backed by a £1.6 million investment in specialist vehicles, equipment and training.

“Wildfire is an increasing and changing risk. The pattern, duration and intensity of these incidents is evolving. It is no longer enough to view wildfire primarily as an incident to be managed once it has started. We must increasingly view it as a national resilience issue requiring prevention, preparedness, investment and shared responsibility.”

Stevens is calling for: “a more formal and proportionate fire safety regime for wildfire prevention and preparedness” in Scotland where preparedness “is not about alarm, but about responsibility.” That should involve not just the fire and rescue service but a “shared national national commitment from government, public services, land managers, businesses, communities and individuals alike.”

Read the statement in full – Wildfire prevention and preparedness must become a national priority, warns Chief Officer.

To hear more about how fire and rescue services are responding to and learning from wildfires, join us at The Emergency Services Show on 16 September where David Shukman will chair a discussion with a panel of chief fire officers from London, Lancashire and Hertfordshire. Register for your free ticket here.