Wildfire burning near Scottish town 'bigger than five football pitches'

Fire crews are battling a wildfire in the Central Belt which has spread to an area equivalent to five-and-a-half football pitches.

The fire has broken out in woods close to Fauldhouse, West Lothian, with eight appliances from Scottish Fire and Rescue at the scene.

A helicopter tackles a wildfire in a wooded area near Fauldohouse, West Lothian on Saturday. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The emergency comes after an extreme wildfire warning was issued across the entire Scottish mainland this weekend, with people urged to ‘think twice’ about lighting a naked flame when out and about in the warm weather.

READ MORE: Widlfires: Extreme risk of blazes across Scotland

The fire is blazing across an area that covers 200 x 200 metres, with the first call received by fire service operators at 11.43am.

An SFRS spokesperson said: “We received the call at 11.43am.

“We currently have six appliances in attendance plus two special appliances.

“It’s a large area of trees alight, it’s 200 metres by 200 metres. Crews remain in attendance.”

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

The fine weather has exacerbated conditions for wildfires to break out and rapidly spread.

Meanwhile, water levels in rivers across parts of Scotland are continuing to fall.

Michael Humphreys, wildfire lead with Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We are asking the public to exercise extreme caution and think twice before using anything inolving a naked flame.

“Many rural and remote communities are hugely impacted by wildfires, which can cause significant damage.

“Livestock, farmland, wildlife, protected woodland and sites of special scientific interest can all be devastated by these fires - as can the lives of people living and working in rural communities.

“These fires can also have a hugely negative impact on the environment and the release of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

“Human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting, so it is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments and always follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.”

Meanwhile, The Scottish Environment Protection Agency said that lack of rainfall was leading river levels to fall in Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders, the Firth of Forth, the Firth of Tay and Aberdeenshire. Rivers around the Black Isle and Thurso are also affected.