Wildfire breaks out near Inverness amid week of danger warnings

A wildfire has broken out near Inverness amid fire service warnings of a “very high” danger of such fires in northern Scotland.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) attended a wildfire between Inverness and Farr on Friday afternoon, and warned the public to avoid the B861 area.

Writing on X, a spokesperson said: “Strong winds hinder control efforts, but there’s no threat to life.”

SFRS issued a “very high danger assessment” earlier in the week, and urged people who live within, or who may enter rural environments, to be careful with naked flames, and to be wary of the impact on farm animals and rural communities.

Livestock, farmland, wildlife, protected woodland and sites of special scientific interest can all be devastated by these fires - as can the lives of people living and working in rural communities.

The very high danger assessment – released in conjunction with the Scottish Wildfire Forum (SWF) – remains in place until Friday.

It covered central and south-west Scotland between Monday and Wednesday, and on Thursday covered all low-lying areas in Scotland, and the Central Highlands on Friday.

In addition, an extreme danger assessment is in place for Friday covering all low-lying areas in Scotland.

Wildfires have the potential to burn for days and devastate large areas of land and harm wildlife.

Group commander Murray Dalgleish, a wildfire tactical advisor for SFRS, said: “We are asking the public to exercise extreme caution and think twice before using anything involving a naked flame.

“Many rural and remote communities are hugely impacted by wildfires, which can cause significant damage.

“Livestock, farmland, wildlife, protected woodland and sites of special scientific interest can all be devastated by these fires – as can the lives of people living and working in rural communities.

“These fires can also have a hugely negative impact on the environment and the release of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

“Human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting, so it is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments and always follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.”