A massive wildfire in the Scottish Highlands has burned across 1,500 hectares of land – the same as 2,100 football pitches – with crews continuing to dampen hotspots deep-seated in the ground.
The fire near Cannich took hold at the weekend and has now been brought under control after covering about 15 square kilometres (nearly six square miles).
Smoke from the flames could be seen from space, with satellite images capturing the plumes drifting across to Loch Ness.
On Thursday afternoon, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said more than 20 firefighters and five appliances – including specialist resources – remained at the scene.
Niall MacLennan, SFRS group commander, said: “This has been a challenging large-scale fire, which has no doubt impacted on the rural community here.
“Our crews, who have been working tirelessly since Sunday to tackle this wildfire, will remain at the scene until it’s made safe.”
Emergency crews were alerted on Sunday afternoon.
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An investigation to establish the cause of the fire is under way. However, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) said it was believed wild campers may be to blame.
At the height of the fire, nine appliances were deployed. Helicopters also took to the air to water bomb the area.
Two firefighters responding to the incident on Tuesday were injured when their all-terrain vehicle crashed. The pair were airlifted to hospital for treatment and have since been released. An investigation has been launched into the cause of the smash.
Conservative MSP Rachael Hamilton said the fire was “estimated to become the largest by area on record” in the UK.
However, latest available satellite data suggests the destruction may be smaller than originally feared.
Wildfire analyst Dr Thomas Smith, an associate professor at London School of Economics, praised the “monumental effort” of the emergency crews to bring the fire under control, noting: “Probably a testament to the efforts on the ground that this fire didn’t spread much further.”
A wildfire warning across east, central and southern Scotland has been in place since Friday and has been extended until 5 June.
A build-up of dead grass and heather left over from last year can dry quickly as temperatures rise and be at risk of going up in flames.
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‘Sobering reminder’
Teams from Forestry and Land Scotland and RSPB Scotland have been providing support in Cannich.
Alex MacLeod, Forestry and Land Scotland north region manager, said: “Regardless of how it started, this particular incident is a sobering reminder of how easily and quickly a wildfire can take hold and become a major problem.
“Visitors need to be aware of their surroundings and their actions, take extra precautions and extreme care.
“Dealing with incidents like this places unnecessary pressure on the emergency services, puts people’s safety at risk, and destroys habitat – which causes extreme distress to the wildlife that was here.
“It’s difficult to say what the extent of the damage is but we know it affects a significant area.”
Farmers and gamekeepers have also been lending a hand by supplying ATVs (all-terrain vehicles), leaf blowers and fogging equipment. They have also been using techniques such as back-burning to fight the flames.
Ross Ewing, director of moorland at Scottish Land and Estates, added: “We are relieved to hear that the wildfire in the area south of Cannich now appears to be under control.
“Everyone enjoying Scotland’s countryside should follow the guidance and in particular should not use either a campfire, a disposable BBQ or a camping stove.”
