Campfires still being lit in strath after Scotland\u2019s worst ever wildfires<\/a><\/p>\nPrepared at the request of Scottish Government officials, the report reveals the extensive resources, manpower and expertise contributed by at least 33 businesses, including 27 estates.<\/p>\n
The collective value of specialist firefighting equipment deployed by private land managers is conservatively estimated at \u00a33.1 million, with over 100 employees engaged in the containment effort.<\/p>\n
Ross Ewing, Director of Moorland at SLE, said: \u201cThe Carrbridge and Dava wildfires represent the largest such event in Scotland\u2019s history \u2013 and without the extraordinary intervention of rural businesses, the scale of devastation would have been even greater.<\/p>\n
![\"Ross](\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg)
Ross Ewing, Director of Scottish Land & Estates, has flagged up the extraordinary intervention of local land businesses.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese land managers brought not only equipment and personnel but also essential knowledge of the terrain and fire behaviour \u2013 much of it honed through generations of safe muirburn practice.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir contribution should be commended, supported and learned from.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among the findings are:<\/p>\n
\u2022 More than 110 ATVs, fogging units, tractors, diggers, water bowsers and other assets were deployed.<\/p>\n
\u2022 At least 101 employees from the businesses surveyed were engaged in the containment effort. 79% of those who helped had practical experience of controlled burning (muirburn), with 66% formally trained in its use.<\/p>\n
\u2022 A wide range of advanced tactics were used, including tactical backburning, coordinated ATV chains, firebreak excavation and suppression using fogging units, leafblowers and slurry tankers.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Several near-miss incidents occurred, underscoring the volatility of the fire and the bravery of those responding.<\/p>\n
Fire damage across the Dava Moor following the wildfires. Picture: Travis Bremner.<\/p>\n
The report also highlights key gaps in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service\u2019s (SFRS) wildfire response capability, and makes a series of recommendations, including:<\/p>\n
\u2022 investment in a fleet of at least 50 SFRS all-terrain vehicles equipped with fogging units;<\/p>\n
\u2022 enhanced authority for SFRS commanders to deploy aerial support quickly;<\/p>\n
\u2022 urgent improvements in wildfire training and communications for frontline crews; and<\/p>\n
\u2022 establishment of a Scotland-wide Integrated Fire Management Strategy.<\/p>\n
The report also highlights that the licensing framework for muirburn, as introduced through the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Act 2024, could reduce the ability of land managers to conduct fuel load management \u2013 a key factor in wildfire prevention says the SLE.<\/p>\n
Some of the fall-out from the biggest ever wildfires to hit Scotland. Picture: Travis Bremner.<\/p>\n
Mr Ewing said: \u201cIf we make it harder for skilled land managers to carry out preventative muirburn, we risk losing the very infrastructure and capability that helped contain these fires.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnder the recent legislation, there is a \u2018necessity\u2019 test regarding use of muirburn on peatland, and a presumption in favour of other vegetation control methods.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy amending this to an appropriateness test, it would allow this vital practice of muirburn to be carried out more freely while simultaneously retaining licensed regulatory oversight by government agencies.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition, the report calls for government exploration of a compensation mechanism to support businesses that suffered financial losses – including damage to equipment, infrastructure and peatland restoration projects – as a direct result of their firefighting efforts.<\/p>\n
Mr Ewing continued: \u201cThe Scottish Government must treat these wildfires as a watershed moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat means urgent investment in firefighting infrastructure, better coordination between public agencies and rural communities, and a policy environment that empowers land managers – rather than penalising them – for playing their part.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout the courage and commitment of those who stepped up during this crisis, the outcome would have been far worse. We owe them our thanks \u2013 and we owe them action.\u201d<\/p>\n
SFRS has been approached for comment.<\/p>\n
Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here<\/b><\/a> to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A major new report details the \u2018exceptional response\u2019 by land-based and rural businesses to the devastating wildfires near…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":269531,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5009],"tags":[748,4884,1501,712,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-269530","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-scotland","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-great-britain","10":"tag-latest-news","11":"tag-scotland","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114869061940825499","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269530","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269530"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269530\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269530"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269530"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269530"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}