A new report has revealed the enormous scale of the response to this summer's Glenmore-Strathnethy wildfire, with more than 3,300 hectares of land burned and £6.4 million worth of privately-owned machinery and equipment mobilised to help tackle the blaze.
The report, commissioned by the Scottish Government and published by Scottish Land & Estates (SLE), found more than 40 rural businesses, estates, contractors and organisations were involved in the emergency response, while volunteers contributed the equivalent of more than 300 days of work supporting firefighting efforts or standing by to assist.
Scottish Land & Estates has used the findings to warn ministers that Scotland remains dangerously exposed to major wildfires because emergency responses continue to depend too heavily on the goodwill of land managers, gamekeepers, contractors and conservation organisations rather than a formal national resilience system.
The publication comes as MSPs prepare to debate Scotland's growing wildfire risk on 1 September, with ministers due to make a statement on the Glenmore-Strathnethy fire later in the week.
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Among the report's findings is evidence of the extensive resources provided by the rural sector during the fire. More than 250 pieces of specialist equipment were recorded as available for deployment, including Argocats, all-terrain vehicles, bulldozers, excavators, tractors, water bowsers, pumps, fogging units, radios, personal protective equipment and hand tools.
The combined declared value of that equipment was almost £6.4 million, highlighting what SLE describes as the significant contribution made by private land managers during the emergency.
Survey responses also recorded 266 person-days and 38 person-nights of volunteering, authorised assistance or standby support.
While praising the response, the report identifies several weaknesses exposed during the incident, including mobilisation, communications, tasking procedures, welfare arrangements and access to appropriate PPE.
It also argues Scotland needs a dedicated helicopter framework for wildfire response, rather than relying on the availability of private aircraft at short notice. Recommendations include guaranteed access to helicopters during periods of very high wildfire risk, agreed mobilisation standards, mapped water sources, refuelling locations, landing sites and improved ground-to-air communications.
The report also raises concerns over proposed changes to Scotland's muirburn licensing regime, warning that poorly designed regulation could unintentionally reduce the pool of trained operators, specialist equipment and practical fire management knowledge currently available during wildfire emergencies.
Ross Ewing, SLE's director of moorland and strategic projects and author of the report, said the Glenmore-Strathnethy fire demonstrated the best of rural Scotland, but also exposed a serious weakness in the country's preparedness.
He said estates, contractors and conservation bodies had shown they were willing to respond quickly with machinery, expertise and local knowledge, but warned that Scotland was still relying on "goodwill and improvisation" when it needed a properly planned and regularly exercised wildfire resilience system.
Mr Ewing said the organisations involved had now established themselves as an essential part of Scotland's wildfire response and their role should be identified and coordinated before future periods of extreme fire risk.
He added that Scotland needed guaranteed aerial support during the highest-risk periods, alongside a muirburn licensing system that did not undermine the skills, equipment and experience the country depends on when wildfires break out.
The report calls on the Scottish Government to move from ad hoc emergency assistance to a formal national capability system. Its recommendations include creating a live wildfire capability register through the Community Asset Register, establishing standard mobilisation and tasking procedures, setting up local wildfire groups in high-risk areas, integrating estate fire plans into wider wildfire management plans, introducing a reimbursement scheme for privately-owned machinery damaged during incidents, and holding joint training exercises involving land managers, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and public agencies before each high-risk wildfire season.
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