Scotland’s wildfire wake-up call

As another major wildfire burns in the Cairngorms, BASC Scotland director Peter Clark explains that Scotland is once again seeing the devastating consequences of landscapes under increasing pressure from prolonged dry conditions and, in certain areas, an irresponsible vegetation fuel load.

The dedication of firefighters, emergency responders, gamekeepers and land managers tackling this incident deserves the highest recognition. However, this latest wildfire should also remind us of a crucial fact: preventing large-scale fires must begin long before the first flame appears.

For BASC members working across Scotland’s countryside, wildfire prevention is not a new responsibility. Gamekeepers and land managers are on the ground every day. They care for upland landscapes, manage vegetation and help to reduce the conditions that allow wildfires to spread rapidly.

The reality is that the severity of a wildfire is often determined by the landscape it enters. While weather conditions influence the likelihood of ignition, the amount, structure and continuity of available fuel can determine how quickly a fire develops and how difficult it becomes to control.

Increased risk

Across many upland areas, vegetation such as heather, grasses and other combustible material can build up over time. In dry and windy conditions, these fuels can allow fires to move quickly across large areas, increasing risks to communities, wildlife, carbon-rich habitats and the firefighters working to contain them.

Active land management provides one of the most effective ways to reduce that risk.

Through a combination of habitat management, grazing, cutting and carefully managed muirburn, gamekeepers and land managers help create a more varied and resilient landscape. By reducing the continuity of vegetation and creating areas of lower fuel loads, these practices can slow fire spread, reduce intensity and provide safer conditions for emergency responders.

Muirburn is an important tool within this wider approach. It is not about creating more fire; it is about reducing the likelihood of uncontrolled and destructive wildfire. By managing vegetation before extreme conditions arrive, land managers can help prevent the build-up of the fuel that allows small fires to become major incidents.

Firebreaks and tactical firefighting measures, including the controlled use of backburning in certain circumstances, are recognised tools in wildfire management. Defensive burning can be used to remove fuel ahead of a wildfire and create control lines, helping to prevent flames reaching key areas.

A central pillar of wildfire resilience

The lessons from the Dava–Carrbridge wildfire in 2025 remain clear. That incident demonstrated the immense challenges of tackling large fires in remote landscapes. It also highlighted the importance of cooperation between the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, land managers, gamekeepers, rural communities and organisations such as BASC.

The current Cairngorms wildfire reinforces that message. Emergency response will always be essential, but Scotland cannot rely solely on firefighters arriving after a fire has taken hold. Prevention must become a central pillar of wildfire resilience.

BASC members, the boots on the ground, are already playing a vital role in that prevention effort. Their local knowledge, practical experience and understanding of the landscapes they manage provide an invaluable resource in reducing wildfire risk. They understand how upland habitats function, where risks can develop and how targeted management can make landscapes more resilient.

Turning policy into prevention

The Scottish Government’s Strategic Action Plan on Wildfire is an important recognition of the growing challenge Scotland faces. However, delivering real resilience will require more than policy commitments. It will require collaboration and recognition of the people who work on the land every day and who are already contributing to wildfire prevention.

Scotland cannot control the weather, but it can influence how landscapes respond when extreme conditions occur.

Fuel load reduction must never be hindered by bureaucratic government red tape. By recognising the role of gamekeepers and land managers, and maintaining a focus on reducing fuel loads, Scotland can improve its ability to prevent and withstand future wildfires.

The message is clear: wildfire prevention starts before the flames. The people managing Scotland’s countryside every day are not just responding to the challenge; they are helping to prevent it.

BASC would like to thank all those involved, many of whom are our members, including gamekeepers, farmers, crofters, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and all those boots on the ground.

Peter Clark

Peter is BASC Scotland director. Prior to joining BASC, he was the rural policy advisor to the Scottish Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs in Holyrood. Originally from Aberdeenshire, he has a keen interest in clay and game shooting as well managing deer on the family farm.