Hundreds of residents in Nethy Bridge, Scotland, were ordered to evacuate their homes Friday night as an out-of-control wildfire, which has been burning for over a week in the Cairngorms, moved closer to the village. Police Scotland declared a major incident due to the escalating danger posed by the blaze.
The wildfire, which initially broke out near Ryvoan Bothy last Wednesday, has been exacerbated by prolonged dry conditions and strengthening winds, making it difficult to contain. "The scenes of smoke are absolutely apocalyptic, going thousands of feet in the air," said Sandy McCook, chairman of the Nethy Bridge Community Council. He added that the clouds in the evenings have been "bright red with the glow from the flames that's currently bearing down on the village."
Firefighters have been working tirelessly to combat the blaze, which has been fueled by challenging terrain and inaccessible areas. "Large areas of the fire ground are inaccessible by vehicle or on foot, making helicopter water-bombing operations and specialist wildfire tactics essential to our response," stated Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Kenny Barbour of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Over 500 firefighters have been mobilized since the incident began, supported by specialized equipment and partner agencies.
The smoke plume from the fire has been visible up to 60 miles away, with reports of it drifting as far as Aberdeen. Heavy machinery has been deployed to create fire breaks in an attempt to halt the fire's advance towards Nethy Bridge, a village with a population of approximately 600 people.
While emergency services worked to evacuate residents, criticism has been leveled against the Scottish Government's handling of the situation. Tim Eagle, a Scottish Conservative MSP, called for the military to be mobilized, stating that the government's response should match the gravity of the situation declared by Police Scotland. "Enough is enough. John Swinney must take heed of Police Scotland’s major incident and finally step up to declare one himself to ensure every avenue of support is put in place," Eagle urged.
Police Scotland has advised the public to avoid the affected areas within the Cairngorms National Park, emphasizing the unsafe conditions and the potential for rapidly changing fire behavior. "We will continue to maintain a significant operational response for as long as it is required," Barbour added.
