Cairngorms wildfire: Helicopter support 'urgently needed' to tackle spreading blaze
Volunteers are assisting fire crews as the fire spreads in the national park
Helicopter support is “urgently needed” to tackle the spreading wildfire in the Cairngorms National Park, with the blaze now burning through around 300 hectares of land, RSPB Scotland said.
The charity said air support was required to try and halt the fire as an army of volunteers assist fire crews in attempting to contain the flames,
The fire broke out at the boundary of the Loch Garten nature reserve, which is managed by the charity.
A total of 27 staff and volunteers from RSPB Scotland are working to help contain the fire, using quad bikes, backpack hoses, pumps, leaf blowers, fire beaters and shovels to dig out smouldering areas.
A spokesman said: “We have no helicopter support, as we believe they are all deployed to England and Wales fighting wildfires down there.
“This is critical and we need it urgently to bring the fire under control.”
The wildfire in the Cairngorms now stretches 3.5km wide, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has said.
Last night, it covered an area around 2km wide.
Visitors have been warned to stay away from the area , although their are reports of people still attempting to reach the popular beauty spot at Loch Morlich.
The wildfire started in heathland at Ryvoan Bothy, near Nethy Bridge, late on Wednesday morning .
A number of homes and businesses, including campsites and ski resorts in the Glenmore Forest Park area, have been closed and evacuated as a safety precaution.
Smoke could be seen for miles around the site of the fire on Thursday morning, as at least four fire engines and other resources were tackling the blaze.
There have been no reports of any casualties.
Some locals expressed concerns that tourists were still trying to access the area despite road closures being in place.
Mary, who lives in the area and did not give her surname, 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.”
READ MORE: Rural villages in ‘imminent danger’ of wildfire spread with calls for evacuation training
She added: “It’s like going to somewhere in America during tornado season.
“You know what you’re getting into.”
Ian McMeekin, head of prevention at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), said they expect to be at the scene for the rest of the day.
He told BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme: “We’re still fighting the fire, working with a range of different partners, with the landowners and local authorities and so on to deal with the incident. Currently we have a fire front of just roughly about three-and-a-half kilometres wide.
“We are reassessing the situation, and our resources may change throughout the morning.
“This is very much a multi-agency situation. As a precautionary measure some of the areas have been evacuated, including a campsite and some properties in close proximity.
“We have been working with our local resilience partners to make sure they try and support people where possible, and we’re advising people to keep an eye out for key messages coming from the partners, whether through Police Scotland or other trusted local media outlets.”
Mr McMeekin said it is too early to determine what may have caused the fire.
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”.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.