Firefighters finally bring blaze under control after three days

THE fire service has issued a request to land owners and land managers to halt controlled burning as crews continue to fight six rural blazes.

The request came as massive wildfire in the Highlands was finally extinguished yesterday.

The fire broke out at Benavie, north of Fort William, on Monday afternoon and at its height stretched for three miles.

Fifty firefighters battled the blaze as it swept across 650 hectares of grassland.

However none of the properties in the path of the fire were needed to be evacuated.

The wildfire was the worst of almost 200 blazes which have stretched the fire service over the last week.

Firefighters continue to fight significant blazes at Gairloch, Kishorn and Braintra, near Achmore, while fires are being tackled at Lochinver, Golspie and the Western Isles. Two smaller fires on Skye are also being tackled.

Conditions, say the fires ervice, are “clearly unsuitable” for burning and officers have issued a list of 17 criminal offences associated with setting fires of this kind.

The list includes leaving a fire unattended, being unable to control a fire or causing damage to neighbours’ property.