Police declare 'major incident' as weather change increases Cairngorms wildfire risk
Police have declared a major incident in the Cairngorms National Park as changing weather conditions threaten to spread a wildfire toward the village of Nethy Bridge. Residents have been evacuated as emergency services continue to battle the blaze.
Why it matters
The incident underscores the increasing threat of wildfires in the UK and the logistical challenges of managing emergency responses in rural areas.
Figure caption, A change in the wind direction caused a flare-up on Thursday night
Police Scotland has declared a major incident 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 to allow emergency services to continue their response.
Smoke from the wildfire can now be seen 59 miles away in Aberdeen following a change in wind direction.
Supt Judy Hill said: "The weather conditions experienced within the Cairngorms over the last 24 hours have added further complexities to this situation.
"With evidence suggesting the fire is spreading towards Nethy Bridge, the decision has been taken to declare a major incident and evacuate residents as a precaution.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in