With the weather particularly dry, the public are being asked to take extra care when enjoying the great outdoors because of the heightened risk of fire.

Given the recent devastating outbreak of wildfires across the country, Scottish Natural Heritage, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park and Cairngorms National Park have urged visitors to areas such as National Parks to be mindful of camping stoves, cigarettes and throw-away barbecues.

SNH uplands advisor, Graham Sullivan, said: “We want people to enjoy their visits but it’s important to bear in mind that fires can spread quickly in these conditions and do lasting damage to nature and wildlife.

“When there is a high fire risk, the Scottish Outdoor Access Code advises people not to light open fires and to use a camping stove instead,” he continued. “We would urge people to be particularly cautious when disposing of cigarettes – even a cigarette butt or the smallest of embers left from a campfire can easily start a wildfire.

“One of the biggest risks is disposable barbecues. These should be taken away and disposed of safely. You may think the barbecue is no longer a risk, but the lingering heat could cause vegetation to smoulder and catch fire,” he explained.