Police declare 'major incident' as weather change increases Cairngorms wildfire risk
Police Scotland has declared a major incident in Cairngorms National Park as changing weather conditions threaten to spread a 10-day-old wildfire toward the village of Nethy Bridge. Residents have been evacuated to a nearby hotel as emergency services struggle to contain the blaze.
Why it matters
The escalation of the wildfire highlights the increasing danger posed by extreme weather events and the strain on emergency response resources in protected natural areas.
Figure caption, A change in the wind direction caused a flare-up on Thursday night
A major incident has been declared by Police Scotland as emergency services continue to tackle a wildfire which has been burning in the Cairngorms National Park for 10 days.
The force said it followed "a significant change in weather conditions" which has increased the risk of fire spreading towards the village of Nethy Bridge.
All Nethy Bridge residents have been evacuated as a precaution to allow emergency services to continue their response.
But a local resident told the BBC the wildfire should have been declared a major incident sooner and the lack of communication from authorities had been "pretty poor".
The BBC has contacted the Scottish government and Police Scotland for comment.
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