Wildfires Scotland: How bad are the wildfires in Scotland and why do they start?

Wildfire season in Scotland is underway, with several areas of the country already showing how vulnerable the landscape is when a spark hits the ground.

Fire crews have been responding to large wildfires from the south west in Galloway to the north west near Ullapool.

There have been also been a number of fires in the past few weeks, including near Bonhill, West Dunbartonshire, Kilpatrick Hills, East Dunbartonshire, and close to Culduthel, just outside Inverness in the Highlands.

An image issued by the Galloway Mountain Rescue Team of a wildfire in the Glen Trool area of the Galloway Forest Park. Picture: Galloway Mountain Rescue Team/PA Wire | Galloway Mountain Rescue Team/PA

Contrary to what many think, with Scotland having a reputation for its rain, the nation is susceptible to wildfires wreaking havoc on flora and fauna if the conditions are right.

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Scotland’s firefighters and mountain rescue teams have said some people still think wildfires do not happen in Scotland, but every year they do.

Fire chiefs have explained a country does not have to have a hot climate for there to be wildfire risk, as seen in the US state of California over the month of January, in which there were a series of destructive fires ravaging the land in and around Los Angeles.

How do wildfires happen in Scotland?

The wildfire season in Scotland begins in March and usually runs until June.

This is due to spring bringing bouts of dry weather and sunny spells over a landscape that has seen a build-up of dead vegetation over the winter period.

Sunny, dry spells can create prime conditions for a wildfire, even if the temperature is cold | Matt Cross

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said this vegetation, which they refer to as fuel load, combined with a few dry days and some wind can create prime conditions for a wildfire to take off from a single spark.

In most cases, firefighters have said the spark tends to come from human influence - a campfire, barbeque or careless discarding of waste, including cigarette butts and glass.

Can you light a campfire in Scotland?

It is legal to light a campfire in Scotland, but those doing so are told to follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code when doing so.

The code advises to never light an open fire during prolonged dry periods or in areas such as forests, woods, farmland, or on peaty ground or near to buildings or in cultural heritage sites where damage can be easily caused.

It says to heed all advice at times of high-fire risk, which can be found on the SFRS website and social media pages.

What can be done to prevent wildfires?

Various methods are used across Scotland to try and lower the risk of wildfires.

SFRS’s message to the public is to be mindful when taking part in activities in the outdoors when conditions are dry and sunny, as they have been for the past week.

This includes avoiding lighting fires, including campfires, when out in Scotland’s countryside.

The Cairngorms National Park Authority, which overlooks the management of Scotland’s largest national park, is in the process of introducing a fire bylaw, with wording of the new rule due to be submitted to ministers this month. The bylaw, if passed, would see fires restricted in the park boundary, with certain exceptions.

Scotland’s other national park, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, already has camping management bylaws in place between March and September, which includes rules on firelighting.

These cover four ‘camping management zones’, which cover less than 4 per cent of the park.

For land managers, there are various methods used to prevent wildfire risk.

Muirburn, which is the controlled burning of vegetation, has been advised by the SFRS’s wildfire chief Michael Humphreys as a tool to create firebreaks in the land to prevent a wildfire from spreading should it take off. It has also been a land management practice used for generations, particularly on Scotland’s grouse moors.

Some organisations are against using this method, and opt to re-wet land in areas where appropriate to prevent flames from spreading. Other countries, including Spain, which sees vicious wildfires year on year, implement livestock grazing to help reduce fuel load to help prevent wildfires.

Some conservationist groups, including RSPB Scotland and Trees for Life, are working on post-wildfire land restoration projects to restore eco-systems and prevent future wildfires, including planting native, mixed species to increase resilience.