The partners of one of Europe’s largest ecosystem regeneration projects, the Coigach – Assynt Living Landscape (CALL), are warning of the danger that fires can cause if they get out of control.
Fires in the countryside can be devastating to wildlife and vegetation while also threatening livelihoods – potentially even costing lives.
While fire can be carefully used as a tool by land managers, or be part of a camping experience, when they get out of control or are started accidentally they can be disastrous. For this reason, the CALL partnership is urging people to take the utmost care with fire during dry weather conditions to limit the potential risks.
Viv Halcrow, Project Manager for CALL, said: “In 2012, over 6,000 hectares of land were seriously affected by fire, including many young developing types of woodland, most likely due to an accident with a camping stove.
“Last year, fires on CALL partners’ land, on the island of Tanera Mor and near Ledmore junction caused damage to extensive areas of heath and young woodland. Fortunately the CALL partners, which include the Assynt Foundation, Culag Community Woodland Trust, Eisg Brachaidh estate, the John Muir Trust, Kylesku estate, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and Tanera Mor, are well used to working together.
“Along with generous and rapid support from other nearby estates, local people and estate staff were able to react quickly to these events and prevent the fires damaging even more land.
“The CALL partners have now developed and put in place a joint fire action plan which should allow an even faster response to any fire alerts – but prevention is always the best option. We’ve had a wet spring but there is often a spell of dry weather leading up to Easter and the early May holiday weekend.
“Dead bracken and leaf litter make perfect kindling, especially when a fire is fanned by a fresh breeze. Please be responsible with fire – it can destroy in minutes the results of years of hard work in this fragile area.”
The CALL partnership is asking people to be vigilant and report out of control or accidental fires. The Muirburn Code covers fire management of all vegetation on moorland, which is restricted to burning between 1 October and 15 April. In some cases this might be extended to 30 April, but that is discouraged by the Scottish Government. The Code is clear that it is an offence to burn outside this period, at night, to leave a fire unattended or to be unable to control a fire. It is also an offence to cause damage to any woodland or allow a fire to spread within 30m of a road.
If you discover a wildfire or see smoke and think this is not following the Muirburn Code, please call the Police and Fire & Rescue Service immediately by dialling 999. If you know which estate the fire is on, please also contact the estate office.