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The Guardian
21 hours ago
- Climate
- The Guardian
Scottish firefighters tackle wildfires for third day as risk to life grows
Firefighters battled wildfires in the Scottish Highlands for a third day on Monday in a situation the first minister has called 'extremely serious'. The Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA), which has helped tackle the blazes, warned the fires are 'becoming a danger to human life' that are leaving 'stretched' firefighters unable to attend other incidents. On Saturday morning, the Scottish fire and rescue service was alerted to a fire near the Highland village of Carrbridge. By Monday evening, the fire service said it was still tackling several wildfire incidents in the area. At 8.40pm on Monday, the fire service urged residents in the vicinity of the fire to 'ensure their windows and doors are closed to prevent smoke from entering'. It said: 'Our firefighters continue to work tirelessly to tackle several wildfire incidents from Carrbridge in Highland to Dallas, outside Forres in Moray. 'A significant number of resources and special resources have been mobilised throughout the area.' A flood alert was issued for some of the affected areas by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, which said: 'Minor flooding impacts and disruption to travel is possible if the heaviest rain falls in vulnerable areas.' The SGA said that a 'round-the-clock effort' from gamekeepers and land managers, working with the fire service, helped prevent two fires from merging into one larger blaze – a move that would have been a 'nightmare scenario'. Scottish first minister John Swinney said on X: 'The wildfires that are taking place are extremely serious. Please follow all of the advice available. Grateful to Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and local people for their efforts to get the fires under control. Fergus Ewing, the MSP for Inverness and Nairn constituency, said the wildfires 'raging' across the area were 'said by many locals to be the worst in our history'. He added that he had already urged the Scottish government to convene its emergency response committee – the Scottish government resilience room, known as SGORR. The SGA called on the Scottish government's nature advisers at NatureScot to visit the sites of these blazes to see first-hand their impact and the efforts required to tackle them. Speaking about the blazes, an SGA spokesperson said: 'This is becoming a danger to human life because firefighters are becoming so stretched dealing with wildfires that they don't have the resources to attend other fires.' They insisted: 'We need to have the Scottish government and their advisers out now to see what is happening, while these fires are ongoing.' One witness, who tried to put the initial fire out, told BBC Scotland News that the seat of the wildfire was a ring of stones where a camp fire had been lit and camping chairs had been abandoned. Dræyk van der Hørn, a Scottish Greens councillor for Moray, photographed the wildfires from a summit in the Cairngorms earlier on Monday. He said: 'Wildfires in Scotland were once a rarity. Not any more. 'Hotter, drier springs and summers – driven by the accelerating climate crisis – are turning our landscapes into tinderboxes. 'Fires are now more frequent, more intense and more destructive. This is not a distant warning. 'Climate change is here, and Moray, and Scotland are on the frontline.'
BBC News
22-06-2025
- BBC News
Man arrested over fire at former Perth primary school
A teenager has been arrested over a fire at a former primary school in eyewitness described seeing a "tornado of fire and smoke" at the old Balhousie Primary School building on Muirton Place shortly after midnight on Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) dispatched six crews and two height appliances to the scene, with firefighters continuing to battle back the blaze into the early 18-year-old man has been arrested in connection with wilful fire-raising. Two crews and a height appliance remain on the scene on Sunday morning to carry out dampening down work, the SFRS were not thought to be any casualties, but a number of properties were evacuated as a precaution, Police Scotland said. One eyewitness told BBC Scotland News: "I drove past at about 01:30 and the roof had collapsed."There was a full fire-smoke tornado engulfing the building."The flames began to subside about an hour later and the red glow was almost completely gone by about 03:30."She added staff at a local garage had provided coffee and water to emergency responders, while a nearby branch of McDonald's had handed out food. Dunkeld Road, Balhousie Street and Muirton Place were closed off and drivers and pedestrians have been warned to avoid the residents were warned to keep their windows and doors closed due to smoke coming from the Primary School was closed in 2023 when pupils were moved to the new Riverside Primary. It is the second major fire to hit a building in the city in the space of a week after a tenement on the corner of South Street and Scott Street was destroyed last Saturday.A man died and an eight-year-old girl was taken to hospital, while Perth and Kinross Council said the building would have to be completely demolished due to the damage.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Yahoo
Fire tears through Edinburgh flat as residents evacuated and street sealed off
Edinburgh emergency services rushed to a residential area in the north west of the capital as a blaze tore through a flat. Police, the ambulance service and at least 25 firefighters responded to the incident at a block of flats on Gunnet Court, Muirhouse. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service received the call shortly before 11pm on Thursday night, June 19, and mobilised five pump appliances and a height vehicle. READ MORE: Edinburgh locals praise 'lovely' Andy Murray after spotting him at shopping centre READ MORE: Australian 'fiasco' ferry leaves Edinburgh after months docked in the capital Terrifying images from the scene show a firefighter battling orange flames coming from a 3rd floor flat as black smoke can be seen billowing from the building. The height vehicle was used to extinguish the blaze as the firefighter could be seen spraying water into the flat while being elevated by the appliance while the whole apartment was engulfed in flames. The area, including Muirhouse View, was taped off by emergency services as several police cars could also be seen. It is understood residents were evacuated as a group of people could be seen standing behind a cordon watching on. The SFRS confirmed hero firefighters battled the blaze for three hours as they left at around 2am on Friday, June 20. A spokesperson said: "We received reports of a fire at a flat on Gunnet Court, at Muirhouse View, at 22.50 hours on Thursday, June 20. We mobilised five appliances and a height vehicle. "The fire on a third floor flat was extinguished and the last appliances left the scene at 2am. Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service were also in attendance." It is currently not known if there were any casualties. The Scottish Ambulance Service was approached for comment. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Six casualties in Edinburgh high rise blaze with huge emergency response
Emergency services in Edinburgh were called to a blaze at a block of high rise flats. The fire broke out at around 12.55am on Sunday morning. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), Police Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Service were all in attendance. The SFRS dispatched four appliances, and one height appliance. They tackled the blaze for over two hours, with six casualties reported - four men and two women. READ MORE: Edinburgh woman sues charity and earns £8k compensation payout over 'holiday row' READ MORE: Edinburgh's Sir Chris Hoy shares new update on 'death sentence' cancer diagnosis Their condition is not currently known. The blaze broke out in the stairwell of the building, with an image from the scene showing a huge emergency services response as residents watch on. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox. An SFRS spokesperson said: "At 12.55am on Sunday June 15 we received a report of fire in domestic stairwell at Hawkhill Court on Restalrig Park. "We dispatched four appliances and one high reach appliance. We worked along SAS and Police Scotland. There were six casualties - four males and two females. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. "We left the scene after ensuring it was safe at around 03.30pm." The Scottish Ambulance Service and Police Scotland have been approached for comment.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Firefighters tackle double West Lothian house blaze as locals watch on in horror
Two residential homes are understood to be up in flames as firefighters remain on site tackling a raging inferno in West Lothian. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) rushed to Shaw Avenue, Armadale, after they received reports of what is believed to be two homes alight on the quiet street. One local reported seeing four appliances in attendance and confirmed the street had been cordoned off while emergency services attended the incident. READ MORE: Tragedy as West Lothian man dies in crash after air ambulance lands on busy road READ MORE: Edinburgh could see thunder and lightning storms as heavy downpours to continue Firefighters received a call at around 3.49pm on Saturday June 7 and it is understood they remain on site. Video footage captured by local, Jordan Sweeney, shows flames licking out of a window of one of the properties. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Thick grey smoke can be seen billowing the sky and engulfing adjacent streets. Firefighters are seen spraying water into the home to try to control the fire. A spokesperson for the SFRS said: "We received a report of two residential properties on fire at around 3.49pm on Saturday June 7. "Four appliances remain in attendance on Shaw Avenue, Armadale." Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox The service could not confirm whether there are any casualties related to the incident.
