Campfires and barbecues will be prohibited in the Cairngorms National Park from Wednesday as part of a seasonal by-law aimed at reducing the risk of wildfires. The measure, which runs until September 30, responds to the increased threat posed by climate change, which has led to longer, drier spring and summer months.
Last year, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) attended more than 200 wildfires across Scotland, including the largest ever recorded in the United Kingdom near Carrbridge and Dava Moor in the Highlands. The new by-law, approved by the Scottish Government after a public consultation, was supported by 79% of the 1,600 respondents.
Sandy Bremner, convener of the Cairngorms National Park Authority, said: “We want people to keep enjoying all that the national park offers but we also need everyone to help protect it. We know it only takes one rogue spark to start a wildfire and when there is so much to lose, we can’t take that risk.” He added that a communications campaign with the slogan “protect our national park. No flame, no spark” will be rolled out.
More than 100 rangers, a record number, will be deployed across the area this summer, and joint patrols with Police Scotland will take place at key hotspots. Robert Lennox, area commander with the SFRS, said: “Wildfires pose a real risk to people, properties and nature. Each wildfire we respond to can have a significant impact on our resources and these incidents are often in remote locations, which take time to reach.”
The Cairngorms National Park, established in 2003, is the UK’s largest national park, covering 4,528 square kilometres. The by-law comes into force on April 1.
