Scotland's Firefighters Responded To More Than One Wildfire A Day During Spring Last Year
1st March 2023
Scotland's firefighters responded to more than one wildfire a day during Spring last year.
New statistics from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) show that during March and April 2022, 95 incidents of wildfire were recorded across Scotland.
Many wildfires are started deliberately or are due to careless, reckless or irresponsible behaviour and that risk peaks during early Spring. That's why SFRS has launched its new prevention campaign called ‘Care for Your Countryside’.
Wildfires can be devastating for rural areas and those living within these communities. This type of large-scale incident also negatively impacts the environment and has the potential to burn for days, placing a drain on emergency service resources.
Deputy Assistant Chief Officer (DACO) Bruce Farquharson, SFRS Wildfire Lead, is appealing to the public to always think twice before setting a fire outdoors.
He said: "It is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments to prevent a fire from spreading out of control. Wildfires in particular are extremely dangerous and pose a major threat to rural communities, wildlife and areas of countryside. Wildfires can spread rapidly and it’s vital that people never start a fire during periods of high wildfire danger.
"We would always recommend not having a fire at all but we do recognise there are occasions where people will still want to have one. It is important that people understand the impact of deliberate or careless fire-setting - even with the best intentions there is still a risk that a fire can spread."
He added: “If you light a camp fire, for example, please be aware of conditions such as high winds, high temperatures and low humidity and always take steps to make sure your camp fire is fully extinguished before you leave. You should also ensure other items such as cigarettes are disposed of safely and responsibly.
“You can care for your countryside by taking simple steps to act safely and responsibly in rural environments and always following the Scottish Outdoor Access Code."
Between 01/03/2022 to 30/04/2022 there were 95 incidents of wildfire recorded in Scotland. 41 of those were started deliberately. A large outdoor fire in Scotland is classified as a wildfire by SFRS when it involves an area of more than 1,000 square metres.
For further advice and information about wildfires and how to prevent fires in the open, visit the SFRS website https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/your-safety/outdoors/wildfires
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code is also a valuable source of information for staying safe while out and about: www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Framework to reduce harm for Scottish communities. Improving safety for Scottish communities is at the heart of a new Framework for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS).
A series of 19 Highland Council Ward forums are being held across the Highlands to seek the views of the public on local police and fire services. The first meetings are being held at Portree and Golspie on Monday 2 September and they run until 30 October.
Cabinet Secretary given assurances over community partnership working. Left to right: Chief Superintendent, Julian Innes, Police Scotland (Highlands & Islands Division); Dr Ken Oates, Consultant, NHS Highland; Alistair Dodds, Chief Executive, The Highland Council; Jonathan Hart, Highlands & Islands Strategic Co-ordinating Group; Drew Hendry, Leader, The Highland Council; Kenny MacAskill, Cabinet Secretary for Justice; Scott Hay, Scottish Fire & Rescue Service (Highlands & Islands Area Manager).
Members of the new Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) have been announced by Community Safety Minister Roseanna Cunningham. They will work closely with the Chair Pat Watters and Chief Officer Alasdair Hay to oversee, support and challenge the SFRS and ensure smooth transition to the new single service, which will go live on April 1, 2013.
Pat Watters will be the first Chair of the new Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Community Safety Minister Roseanna Cunningham announced today. Mr Watters will work closely with Chief Officer Alasdair Hay to lead and shape the new service.
Public agencies in the Highlands are leading the way in reducing carbon emissions from travel by using electric cars and vans for business use. In addition, the electric vehicles are expected to generate significant savings in both running costs when compared to hiring a regular car.
Alasdair Hay will be the first Chief Officer of the new single Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. The post will be one of the top fire jobs in the UK and one of the most demanding and high-profile roles in civic Scotland.
Message from Deputy Chief Fire Officers Friday 30th March marked the end of a series of Fire Board meetings which have allowed a clearer and more positive direction to be defined for the Service and the communities we serve. We are committed to keeping the communities of the Highlands and Islands up to date on the debate and outcome of these meetings.
Statement from Highland & Islands Fire Board, Highlands & Islands Fire & Rescue Service, and Representative Bodies. Joint press statement from Highland and Islands Fire Board, Highlands & Islands Fire & Rescue Service, the Fire Brigades Union, Retained Firefighters Union and the Fire Officers' Association A high level seminar involving the Highland and Islands Fire Board, senior staff from Highlands & Islands Fire & Rescue Service (HIFRS), the Fire Brigades Union, the Retained Firefighters Union (Scotland), the Fire Officers Association and senior officers from the HIFRS Peer Support Team was been held on Friday 24th February 2012 to analyse the key issue of risk to communities and firefighters in the area.
