Tories call for national wildfire response unit after blaze

During a visit to Rothiemurchus, near Aviemore, Mr Findlay met members of the estates and moorland management community who were among the first on the scene when the blaze broke out last month.

The visit came as newly released Scottish Government figures showed a sharp rise in wildfires, with 238 moorland and woodland fires recorded across Scotland last year compared with 55 in 2024 — an increase of more than 330%.

Accompanied by Highlands and Islands MSP Tim Eagle and Moray Conservative group leader Kathleen Robertson, Mr Findlay met Peter Ferguson of Rothiemurchus, Calum Kippen of Bright Spark Burning Techniques and Ewan Archer of Strathspey Estates to hear first-hand accounts of the response and discuss the increasing wildfire threat facing rural Scotland.

The Cairngorms wildfire began in the Glenmore area and spread across around 10 square miles (25 sq km) of moorland and forestry. More than 500 firefighters were involved in bringing the blaze under control, supported by estate staff, gamekeepers and other local land managers.

Mr Findlay praised those who responded in the early stages of the fire, saying their local knowledge and rapid action had helped prevent an even greater disaster.

"It was important to hear the first-hand accounts of those who were on the frontline of this massive wildfire," he said.

"If it wasn't for their hard work, bravery and local knowledge, the impact could have been so much worse. If it wasn't for the wind changing direction, people would almost certainly have been killed."

He criticised First Minister John Swinney and the Scottish Government over their handling of the incident, accusing ministers of being "dangerously unprepared" for large-scale wildfires and arguing they had been slow to seek military assistance after local communities called for additional support.

Mr Findlay also claimed government policies were increasing the risk of future wildfires and said ministers should listen more closely to those managing Scotland's countryside.

"We agree with local land managers about the need for a dedicated national wildfire response unit," he said.

"SNP ministers and government agencies must start listening to those who know Scotland's countryside instead of peddling PR rubbish that everything is in hand.

"If they fail to listen, it is inevitable that lives will be lost."

Highlands and Islands MSP Tim Eagle said concerns had been raised following the Dava wildfire last year but claimed little progress had been made.

"After last year's Dava wildfire, it was clear the Scottish Government were completely unprepared for major incidents like these," he said.

"I repeatedly asked the government to listen to those on the ground and put clear plans in place, but other than a closed-door meeting, the SNP ignored any advice.

"This year, lives have been put at risk, in addition to the widespread damage to the Cairngorms National Park.

"The experiences told to us by those on the frontline were an eye-opener as to what must be done to ensure communities are better protected, and I will continue to demand action until the SNP deliver."

The latest wildfire statistics come after a summer in which prolonged dry weather and high temperatures created challenging conditions across many parts of Scotland, particularly in upland and woodland areas where land managers have warned of an increasing fire risk.