The UK Government has offered military support to tackle the Cairngorms wildfire following a request by Scotland's Justice Secretary Neil Gray. Douglas Alexander, the Scottish Secretary, said specialist resources including Chinook helicopters for logistical and heavy-lift capacity and support from UK standby battalions would be made available upon request.
The offer came just hours after Justice Secretary Neil Gray said he was not expecting to receive additional support from the UK military, believing it lacked the required capability. The wildfire in the Scottish Highlands has been burning for over a week. Better weather conditions, including heavy rain and low winds, have slowed the fire and limited its spread.
Response and community impact
More than 75 firefighters remain at the scene, according to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). Residents of Nethy Bridge, evacuated on Friday night, have been told they can return home. Police Scotland said on Saturday night it was no longer treating the fire as a major incident.
Official statements
Douglas Alexander said the past 12 days had been extremely challenging for teams on the ground and the local community. He worked at speed with the Defence Secretary to establish resources to deploy. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the armed forces are always ready to respond to emergencies, with Chinook helicopters for heavy-lifting and UK standby battalion personnel ready to deploy.
SFRS Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Kenny Barbour said the service remains fully committed with appropriate resourcing. They intend to take advantage of positive weather conditions to fight the fire aggressively in key areas. He warned they are not complacent and remain vigilant for any flare-ups. The incident began on July 15 and resources are expected to remain into next week.
