The risk of wildfires in Scotland is ‘extremely high’ due to extreme summer temperatures, a firefighter has said.
Bruce Farquharson, deputy chief officer of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, warned people to be responsible when outdoors as fires can quickly get out of hand.
Hot, dry, weather and record temperature days have created tinderbox conditions in many rural areas.
Wildfire warnings have been issued for southern and eastern Scotland, with some areas considered to be at ‘extreme’ risk.
Wildfire risk is ‘very high’ in eastern and southern Scotland.
Taking simple steps can help prevent major damage to the environment and prevent emergency services from attending avoidable cases.
Check out our summer safety pages for more details: https://t.co/dVygSkMytO pic.twitter.com/vgBnjvLgpr
– Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (@fire_scot) July 18, 2022
Mr Farquharson said: “I would ask the public not to light fires outside for the next few days, but if you need to, check any restrictions or permits required by your landlord and make sure you use a fire pit or container. It’s really gone before you go.
“We want them to know how quickly things can get out of hand – the smallest outdoor lighting can spread quickly and burn for days.
“We therefore ask people to act responsibly when enjoying the outdoors and please think twice before using anything that involves nudity.”
