Scotland’s Largest Wildfire: New Report Highlights Land Managers' Heroic Response
- Rob Beeson
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Download the Report and Read Our Summary
Scotland’s largest recorded wildfire event - which scorched more than 11,800 hectares of moorland and woodland near Carrbridge and Dava - has triggered a detailed review by Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) into how land-based businesses responded.
The report reveals the scale of the rural firefighting effort, with at least 101 estate employees taking part, many of them trained and experienced in muirburn.
Over £3 million worth of specialist equipment was deployed by rural businesses, including ATVs, fogging units, tractors, diggers and water bowsers. Without this, the report suggests, the damage would have been far worse. Read our summary of the report here.
Key Findings
33 land-based businesses responded, including 27 estates.
79% of the staff involved had experience in muirburn, underlining the importance of controlled burning skills in wildfire suppression.
Businesses reported damages ranging from £50 to over £750,000, including lost fencing, wildlife habitat, machinery, and restoration work.
Numerous near-misses were reported, including vehicles breaking down while surrounded by fire and emergency crews cut off by rapidly changing wind.
The report calls for urgent government support to strengthen wildfire preparedness. It recommends:
Investing in fire service equipment, including ATVs with fogging units and better helicopter access.
Creating a Scotland-wide wildfire strategy.
Maintaining and supporting muirburn practices, which helped slow the fire and protect important habitats.
The report also warns that new licensing rules for muirburn risk weakening rural firefighting capacity in future if they reduce the number of trained personnel or investment in equipment.
“Land-based and rural businesses mounted an incredible response,” said Ross Ewing, Director of Moorland at Scottish Land & Estates. “Without this invaluable knowledge, a far greater swathe of the landscape would have succumbed to the flames.”
