PICTURES: Thurso wildfire reignites a day later
After firefighters successfully extinguished a moorland blaze at Thurso yesterday, another has erupted in the same area.
Drone shots taken by Thurso resident Billy Gray at 3pm today show smoke drifting from a hill on the western side of the town and across a nearby housing estate.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) spokesperson stated: “We received a call at 2.32pm reporting a fire in the open in Thurso Moors, near Moorside Avenue, Thurso.
“Operations control mobilised three fire appliances where firefighters are currently working to extinguish the fire affecting a large area of gorse and heather measuring approximately 250 metres.
“Crews remain in attendance.”
The SFRS said that the wildfire is currently being tackled by Thurso crews, but Wick firefighters may join them after dealing with another incident.
Yesterday, the alarm was raised at 3.02pm and fire crews extinguished the blaze by 5.50pm with the last crew leaving the scene at 6.35pm.
Four crews were called into action after the fire was reported behind John Kennedy Drive, near the Pennyland and Ormlie areas of the town.
An area roughly 300 metres by 200 metres was ablaze beside the A836 road westwards.
Such was the density of black smoke from the fire, residents were asked to keep windows and doors closed during the operation.
The fire was just the latest in a series to hit Scotland and the Highlands amid an extreme wildfire warning now extended into the weekend by SFRS.
