Police Scotland has declared a major incident as a wildfire burning in the Cairngorms National Park for 10 days has escalated due to changing weather conditions. The shift in weather has increased the risk of the fire spreading towards the village of Nethy Bridge, prompting the evacuation of all its residents.
Superintendent Judy Hill stated that the weather experienced in the Cairngorms over the past 24 hours has added significant complexity to the situation. "With evidence suggesting the fire is spreading towards Nethy Bridge, the decision has been taken to declare a major incident and evacuate residents as a precaution," Hill said.
Additional police resources have been deployed to assist in contacting residents needing to leave their properties and to maintain cordons around restricted areas. Fire service colleagues continue to work on tackling the wildfire. Smoke from the fire is now visible up to 59 miles away in Aberdeen, a consequence of a change in wind direction.