Firefighters bring massive wildfire in Highlands under control
Firefighters bring massive wildfire in Highlands under control
02 April 2013
published by www.news.stv.tv
United Kingdom — Firefighters worked through the night to bring a huge grassland blaze in the Highlands under control.
Crews were called to tackle the wildfire north of Fort William in the Highlands at around 4pm on Monday.
The blaze broke out on grassland and heath north of the B8004, stretching for a distance of around three miles. No properties in the area needed to be evacuated.
A spokesman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said a couple of appliances were still monitoring the scene.
At the fires height around 45 firefighters battled the blaze as it threatened homes in nearby villages.
The fire service said the blaze stretched three miles and had engulfed land close to houses. The spokesman said the fire was on grassland and heath north of the B8004 road.
The fire was the worst of more than 80 wildfire-related incidents in the last four days in the Highlands and islands.
The incidents have been predominantly along the west coast, Isle of Skye and in the Western Isles.
The grass, heather and heathland fires have seen in excess of 30 fire engines with more than 150 firefighters working, supported by fire control personnel, other emergency services and landowners.
Helicopters have also been drafted in to douse the flames.
A spokesman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “Highlands and Islands Fire Control and all attending fire crews have worked extremely hard alongside land owners with aerial support from helicopters, in some cases for days, to contain and extinguish fires which on several occasions were in close proximity to property.
“I would like to thank all who have exerted great efforts to bring these fires to a safe conclusion over this extremely challenging period.”
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is urging visitors and local communities to take care in dry grounds while landowners are being urged to take extra precaution when muirburning.
Ross, Skye and Lochaber MP Charles Kennedy praised the efforts of emergency services crews who tackled the fire.
“I have never witnessed anything quite on the scale of yesterday’s massive hill fire above Banavie and Corpach,” he said. “If the initial reports are confirmed, then it is miraculous that there was no significant loss of property, far less worse.
“The spate of such fires recently across the Highlands acts as a timely warning to us all. But most of all it makes us all profoundly grateful for the professional expertise and courage of our firefighters and the other emergency services. We are indebted to them all.”
