Swathes of Cairngorms unrecognisable after 12 days of ‘cataclysmic’ wildfires
A massive wildfire in Scotland's Cairngorms National Park has caused extensive damage to moorland and ancient Caledonian pinewood forests. Authorities warn that the blaze, the worst in the park's history, will take decades to recover from.
Why it matters
The event highlights the increasing threat of climate-driven wildfires to protected natural habitats and biodiversity in temperate regions.
It could take months for the blaze to be fully extinguished. It could take months for the blaze to be fully extinguished. Wildfires Swathes of Cairngorms unrecognisable after 12 days of ‘cataclysmic’ wildfires With large areas still burning, damage from national park’s worst blaze could take decades, if not longer, to put right
Robyn Vinter Mon 27 Jul 2026 12.00 EDT Last modified on Mon 27 Jul 2026 12.01 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google I t is the jewel in the crown of the Highlands, one of Scotland’s most impressive natural landscapes, but 12 days on from the start of an enormous wildfire that is tearing through moorland and forest, the Cairngorms national park is unrecognisable.
Hectares of blackened land were visible as low cloud cleared on Sunday, with smoke billowing into the air from large areas still ablaze. In the evening, the sky glowed an eerie orange.
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