First Minister John Swinney has requested military assistance to combat an out-of-control wildfire that has been burning for ten days in the Highlands, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of residents.
The decision comes amid growing criticism of the Scottish Government and Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) for their handling of the blaze, which has been declared a major incident.
Military Aid and Criticism
Swinney convened a Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR) meeting and announced the request for military help, specifically for aerial support, to supplement existing resources deployed to the Cairngorms wildfire. "A request has been made today to the UK Government for military assistance in aerial support that can be used to supplement existing resources that are being deployed to tackle the Cairngorms wildfire," Swinney stated. He emphasized that the blaze remains a "major and serious incident" and urged the public to avoid affected areas.
This intervention follows accusations from the Scottish Conservatives that the government, its ministers, and national park officials were "asleep at the wheel." Aberdeenshire MP Andrew Bowie commented, "It’s better late than never but the Scottish Government should have declared a major incident days ago when it became clear that this fire was out of control. It’s good that the army has finally been called in but residents of Nethy Bridge and across the region will be wondering why this has taken so long."
Tory MSP Tim Eagle has written to the Scottish Parliament's presiding officer requesting a recall of parliament to hold ministers accountable. Eagle criticized the SNP's response as being defined by "delay, drift and a shocking lack of leadership."
Wildfire Management and Firebreaks
Concerns have also been raised about the CNPA's wildfire management strategies. A report from June 2025 warned that the abundance of burnable vegetation near homes in Nethy Bridge could increase risk in extreme conditions. The report noted that some landowners might be reluctant to create firebreaks due to maintenance requirements and potential conflicts with park plans and landowners' objectives.
Deirdre Falconer, a former CNPA board member, stated that the authority lacks the legal power to compel landowners to adhere to wildfire management plan guidelines. "Nobody is forcing landowners to create and maintain firebreaks, so it makes a mockery of the whole thing. If there is no compulsion in any of this…that’s a major failing, as they are now currently having to create firebreaks to stop the wildfire spreading to homes and businesses," Falconer said. She also pointed out that natural features like bodies of water, footpaths, and forest tracks have proven ineffective as firebreaks, with fire jumping over tracks.
Sandy Bremner, convener at the CNPA, confirmed the authority does not have legal powers to compel landowners. He stated that the plan was developed in close consultation with estates and that the Park Authority has invested in wildfire prevention, including fire byelaws, signage, and firefighting equipment.
Community Response
Around 600 residents of Nethy Bridge, near Aviemore, were advised to evacuate as the wildfire threatened their homes. Specialist crews worked through the night to create a new firebreak to protect the village. Sandy McCook, chairman of the Nethy Bridge community council, criticized the government's response, stating there had not been enough urgency. "The Scottish Government have slept on this. It took until 10pm on Friday night for the Scottish government, despite my imploring of them, for this to be declared as a major incident. Police Scotland took the initiative, which almost embarrassed the First Minister into it," McCook said.
He added that the community is unhappy with the handling of the situation and called for a thorough review after the incident. "There must be a thorough look at this afterwards because the response from government has not been good enough."
The wildfire has been burning for ten days, with firefighters working continuously to contain the blaze before the military was called in. Aerial images show the significant extent of the wildfire spreading through the National Park.
