Moorland blaze at Thurso – residents advised to ‘close windows and doors due to smoke’
After sending out a strong message about wildfires this week, fire services are currently dealing with a moorland blaze at Thurso.
UPDATE: North coast wildfire near Thurso extinguished
Firefighters are working to douse the large fire, and local residents are advised to close windows and doors due to smoke.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 3.02pm on Thursday, 10 April, to reports of a fire in the open at the rear of John Kennedy Drive, Thurso.
“Operations Control mobilised four fire appliances where firefighters are working to extinguish a fire affecting a large area of moorland measuring approximately 300 by 200 metres.
“Crews remain in attendance.”
Large clouds of smoke are drifting across the town, with many locals taking to social media to find updates.
Another SFRS spokesperson said at 4.45pm today: “The information we have received states it is quite a big area of fire and it’s ongoing.
“It’s just in front of the houses at Ormlie, but at the moment there are no buildings involved and the firefighters are tackling it so it doesn’t get that far. It’s gorse and undergrowth that’s on fire at the moment, so crews are out there just now trying to knock it back.”
SFRS had posted a public notice on Monday warning about the possibility of wildfires with warmer weather coming in said there was an “extreme risk across the southwest, eastern, central, and north of Scotland for Thursday”.
The public was urged to exercise caution if out and about in rural areas during the Easter holidays and avoid lighting outdoor fires.
SFRS deputy assistant chief officer Kenny Barbour said: "Wildfires have the potential to burn for days, as we've seen this week in Dumfries and Galloway, and they spread through vast areas of land in our countryside, which is devastating for those who live nearby.
"Our firefighters will continue to work with local landowners and other partners to bring these fires under control.
"As the warm and dry weather continues, so too does the risk of wildfire, and so we are asking the public to exercise extreme caution and think twice before using anything involving a naked flame.
"Responsible human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting, so it is crucial that people act safely in rural environments and always follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code."
