North fire crews hailed as 'a credit to their communities'
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A FIRE chief has paid tribute to crews that have tackled a series of blazes in difficult terrain in the north over the past two weeks, describing them as "an absolute credit to their communities".
Rab Middlemiss, local senior officer for the Highlands at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), was speaking after firefighters had worked tirelessly to contain several large-scale wildfires across the region, including some in Sutherland and Caithness. One huge wind-driven fire in the Durness area threatened several properties, causing them to be evacuated.
Mr Middlemiss said: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has recently worked hard to protect communities from this spate of very challenging wildfires, with assistance from our various partners.
“And certainly, our crews here in Highland worked through some of the most challenging conditions – covering difficult terrain and in high winds to bring these fires under control and extinguish them, and ultimately protecting life, property and the environment.
“They are an absolute credit to their communities and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their commitment and their professionalism.
"I would also like to note the outstanding effort from firefighters within operations control who worked to effectively co-ordinate the appropriate resources and particularly where those incidents were protracted over the course of several days.
“I would also like to thank, as always, the wider Highland community for their outstanding and continued support.”
Mr Middlemiss added: “As the dry weather continues, so too does the risk of wildfire. We have seen just how challenging these fires can become – many rural and remote communities are hugely impacted by these incidents, which can cause significant environmental and economic 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.
“We are appealing to people to take great care. It is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments and follow the Countryside Code.
"Just one heat source like a camp-fire ember can cause it to ignite, and if the wind changes direction even the smallest fire can spread uncontrollably and devastate entire hillsides."
SFRS area manager Bruce Farquharson is the chairman of the Scottish Wildfire Forum.
He said: "At the start of spring there is often a lot of dead vegetation left over from last year – this fuel can dry out quickly with higher temperatures and lower humidity levels.
"Wildfires are a major threat to our wildlife and wild places. We encourage people visiting the outdoors to be extra careful, and check the advice in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code before starting a fire.
"The public can help prevent wildfires by making sure they dispose of litter and smoking materials carefully while in rural areas."
Mr Farquharson added: "Human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting, so it is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments."
SFRS says it works closely with land managers, communities and other safety partners to prevent these incidents occurring.
Firefighters battled for four days last week against a raging wildfire in the Durness area.
Five people from 11 properties were evacuated as the blaze edged nearer their homes. They were taken to nearby hotels on Monday but allowed to return later that night.
Some owners decided not to leave their homes at Sangomore, according to Highland councillor Hugh Morrison, who owns the Smoo Cave Hotel at Durness.
“The fire came within 30 yards of some of the homes – it was only the road that was between them and the blaze," he said. "A number of people left because of the risk but some decided to stay. There was smoke all over the place – it was quite a problem.
“The ambulance staff did a fantastic job getting the people away, some of whom came to us.”
Six appliances had been sent with crews from Ullapool, Wick, Durness, Thurso, Bettyhill and Lochinver over the four days.
Councillor Morrison said: “I would like to praise the firefighters who did a magnificent job in exhausting and difficult circumstances. The problem is that the wind was so strong here – up to 50mph. The ground has been so dry and there has been no way of stopping the fire.
“It highlights the need to be especially mindful of starting fires at this time of year. The conditions are like a tinderbox at the moment. Everything is so dry that one small blaze can soon get out of control, and this is a devastating example of it.”
A spokeswoman for the SFRS said that at one point the fire was spread over a distance of almost three miles.
There were also outbreaks at Freswick, at Kinbrace and near Strathy Point. Further south a serious blaze occurred at a Moray wind farm and across Scotland as a whole there has been a rise in the number of wildfires.
