Labour MSPs claim Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in Highlands facing ‘deeply troubling’ Scottish Government underfunding
Scottish Labour is warning about the “deteriorating state” of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) across the Highlands and Islands.
Citing critical staffing shortages and underfunding, Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant was joined by Scottish Labour Holyrood candidates in expressing alarm at the state of the service.
But a Scottish Government spokeswoman hit back at the claims, saying that the SFRS remained “fully ready and able to respond” to emergency incidents.
Ms Grant revealed that only 10 of 125 on-call fire stations in Argyll and Bute, Highland, Moray, and the Islands were currently fully staffed following a series of parliamentary questions she lodged.
She said: “The level of risk this leaves my constituents facing is deeply troubling.
“As we saw during the recent wildfire at Dava, the largest in Scotland’s history, the demands on this vital public service are enormous.”
She attributed the crisis to long-term cuts under the SNP government, noting that the SFRS had lost over 1200 firefighters since 2007 and is currently operating with a 29 per cent vacancy rate.
Ms Grant added: “It’s no wonder the service is under such pressure.”
Ms Grant also criticised local SNP MSP Emma Roddick for holding a debate on wildfire risks while failing to address the root causes, saying: “Ms Roddick should be lobbying her party to reinstate the lost firefighters and restore the £59 million funding removed from the SFRS budget.”.
Scottish Labour candidates for the Highlands and Islands echoed these concerns.
Shaun Fraser, candidate and godson of a former senior firefighter in Inverness, described his recent visit to Inverness Fire Station.
He said: “The team there do an incredible job under difficult circumstances, but they need to be supported by the Scottish Government.
“I saw fire engines being kept operational well beyond their intended lifespan, literally held together by running repairs.
“Our firefighters deserve far better.”
Fraser highlighted the toll on staff, citing exhaustion from overtime and missed training opportunities due to understaffing, adding: “They’ve been badly let down by the SNP.”
Eva Kestner, candidate for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, stressed the issue was region-wide, saying: “The further you live from Inverness, the more serious this issue becomes.
“I’m calling on SFRS senior management to present clear proposals to address these urgent concerns in the North and West.”
Scottish Labour is calling for immediate action to restore staffing levels, reinvest in equipment, and ensure the safety of communities across the Highlands and Islands.
The Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Scotland’s firefighters do an amazing job and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) remains fully ready and able to respond to emergency incidents.
“We are providing £412.2 million to support SFRS in 2025-26 - an increase of £18.8 million - which includes an increase from £43 million to £47 million in capital funding. Funding has increased substantially year-on-year since 2017-18 and Scotland has more firefighters per capita than other parts of the UK.
“SFRS are pursuing a range of measures to address challenges with recruitment and retention of on-call firefighters in rural areas.”
The recruitment and deployment of firefighters, and the allocation of resources, including equipment and appliances, are operational matters for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.