Scottish Water joins calls to prevent wildfire damage
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Scottish Water has joined calls to raise awareness of wildfire risks to prevent damage and help protect the environment and water supplies.
The country’s public water services body is working with Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) to prevent potentially devastating outbreaks.
There have been at least 12 wildfires in the past five years on land owned and managed as water catchments covering thousands of hectares in different parts of the country.
About 70 per cent of Scotland’s public drinking water supply has its source in approximately 525,000 hectares of peatland and moorland.
Wildfires can be very damaging to the natural environment, ecology and wildlife, such as nesting birds, voles, frogs and insects.
As well as the potential impact on wildlife habitats, wildfires can burn valuable carbon stores (trees and peatland), releasing greenhouse gases back into the atmosphere and losing their ability to capture carbon.
The damage to peatland is of particular concern given the long time frames it takes to recover.
In addition, the de-stabilisation of peatlands near watercourses and ashes from wildfires which get into water sources such as reservoirs, can lead to changes in raw water quality.
David Anderson, a catchment liaison officer in Scottish Water’s land management team, said: "We are seeing a dramatic increase in wildfires with the traditional wetter areas experiencing longer, drier periods than normal. And we are seeing wildfires in areas not normally associated with wildfires.
"Fires have the potential of setting peat on fire which can burn for long periods of time, possibly for a week or more. If this happens, it can destroy the carbon capture properties of a healthy bog or moorland.
"The message is simple – respect and care for the environment, take all your litter home, leave no trace and, if you need to light a fire, use a stove rather than an open fire."
Martin Price, FLS forest management officer, said: "The impact of wildfires can affect our forests, open habitats and our wildlife for months, years or even decades.
"Wildfires are avoidable and we ask that our visitors make themselves aware of the weather and the potential for wildfire in hot and dry periods, and follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code’s advice."
Deputy assistant chief officer Bruce Farquharson, SFRS wildlife lead, said: "We are seeing wildfire happening more frequently in late winter and early spring and having higher fire intensity towards the end of summer and in early autumn.
"In my view, the changes are due to climate change and weather conditions creating very dry fuel for fires, and due to there being more people in the countryside.
"Wildfires are incredibly dangerous and unpredictable and very challenging for firefighters and people should never start a fire unless they can extinguish it and should call the fire service as quickly as possible if they can’t.
"Through partnership working, we are striving to ensure that Scotland’s natural resources and rural communities are protected from the devastating impact of wildfires, as well as preventing them from happening in the first place.
"Providing easy to understand and good quality information to those who work in, live in and visit the countryside on the risks that exist in relation to fire, how they can prevent fires from happening, and how to mitigate the impact of fire, is key to this work."
A Scottish Water video on wildfire, made with assistance from FLS, SFRS and Sky Hook Helicopters, can be viewed via the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/z8roigixah00yfi/Wildfire%20Risks%20web%20version.mp4?dl=0
