A significant wildfire in Scotland's Cairngorms National Park has been declared a 'major incident,' forcing the evacuation of homes and sending smoke plumes visible up to 59 miles away.
More than 500 firefighters have been engaged in battling the blaze, which has been active for ten days. The changing wind direction has exacerbated the situation, pushing smoke towards Aberdeenshire and the North Sea. Residents in Nethy Bridge have been evacuated as a precaution, with authorities establishing fire breaks around the village and deploying additional resources. A smoke advisory is in place for Tomintoul, urging residents to remain indoors with windows and doors closed.
The fire has consumed approximately 600 hectares of land. Local community leaders have expressed frustration with the ongoing situation, particularly after previous statements suggesting the fire was contained and resources were adequate.
Scottish First Minister John Swinney chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government's Resilience Room (SGoRR) to address the escalating incident. He acknowledged the impact of changing weather conditions on the fire's unpredictable behavior.
Emergency services are requesting heavy machinery, such as bulldozers, to aid in the response, and are seeking operators to report to the Village Hall in Nethy Bridge. Evacuated residents are being directed to a respite center at the Macdonald Aviemore Resort. The public is advised to avoid the affected areas within the Cairngorms National Park due to safety concerns from ongoing operations and rapidly changing fire conditions.
This incident occurs as the UK anticipates its fourth heatwave of the year, with dry conditions and high temperatures persisting. Several areas have already declared drought status, and rainfall in July has been significantly below average. This prolonged dry spell is described as unusual, following a drought summer in 2023, and is occurring amid an increase in extreme weather events attributed to climate change.
A separate wildfire on Tintwistle Moor in the Peak District, which began on June 24, is also still ongoing after being declared a major incident on July 13. Fire engines have been seen lining roads near the Glossop area where this moorland fire continues to burn.