The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has announced that part of the wildfire cordon around a village in the Cairngorms will be lifted at 8am on Friday. The C7 Ski Road, known as the Glenmore corridor, will fully reopen after three weeks of disruption.
Background and impact
Road and access restrictions have been in place around the Glenmore area since the wildfire began near Ryvoan Bothy, close to Aviemore, at around midday on July 15. The fire has devastated an estimated 25 square kilometres of land, with more than 500 firefighters deployed to fight the blaze.
While the Glenmore corridor reopens, some areas directly impacted by the fire will continue to be restricted for safety. Roads near Abernethy Forest, including the Forest Lodge access road, Lettoch Road, and Dorback, will remain closed to allow operations to continue on the ground.
Reactions and ongoing efforts
Grant Moir, chief executive at the Cairngorms National Park Authority, expressed relief at the reopening, saying it is "such great news for local businesses, communities and everyone looking forward to spending time in this special part of the national park." He credited the "huge effort of businesses, volunteers and partner organisations who have worked tirelessly to make the area safe and prepare for reopening."
On Thursday night, around 20 firefighters continued to work in the area with specialist resources, including a high-volume pump. The SFRS said helicopter support is unlikely to be required beyond Friday, but operations will focus on the remote area around Abernethy Forest, where deep-seated peat fires persist.
Visitor safety warnings
Paul Hibberd, regional visitor services manager for Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), advised visitors of ongoing public safety risks, including remaining hotspots, hazardous fire-damaged trees, and unstable ground. He noted that while most of Glenmore Forest Park will be fully open, some FLS-managed areas will remain out of bounds.
These include the Allt Ban and Allt Mor car parks, the Ryvoan Trail, and the Lodge Trail, which will remain shut until FLS can assess damage and carry out remediation work. There will also be no access to the Green Lochan. Hibberd urged the public to "take heed of all signage and do not go into or fly drones in these areas."
The map of path closures is available on the Park Authority website.
