Wildfire fund welcome but prevention underfunded, say land managers

Land managers have welcomed the fund of up to £3m for businesses hit by the Cairngorms wildfire while warning that Scotland is spending far more on recovery than on stopping fires taking hold. Scottish Land & Estates says the arithmetic behind the fund makes the case for sustained investment in prevention.

What has the Scottish Government announced?

The fund of up to £3m, announced this week, will be administered by Highland Council and is intended to help businesses hit by the Glenmore-Strathnethy wildfire manage the immediate financial impact, stay trading and recover over the longer term. The council is expected to publish full details and the application process in the coming days.

Ross Ewing, director of moorland and strategic projects at Scottish Land & Estates, said: “This funding is welcome and will provide vital support to businesses affected by the Glenmore-Strathnethy wildfire in the Cairngorms National Park. Many have suffered significant financial losses and remain unable to operate at full capacity. Others have also committed considerable resources of their own to supporting efforts to bring the fire under control.”

Why do land managers say prevention is underfunded?

Mr Ewing set the recovery fund against the money behind the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s wildfire strategy, which he said amounts to planned investment of around £1.6m over three years covering specialist equipment, personal protective equipment, vehicles and training.

“Set against a single £3 million recovery fund for one major wildfire, that figure makes a powerful case for sustained investment in prevention before risk becomes crisis,” he said.

The point lands on ground gamekeepers and estate staff have been making all summer. The private and third-sector effort put into fighting the Cairngorms fire has yet to be quantified, and much of it came from land managers with their own machinery, water bowsers and burning equipment.

What does Scottish Land & Estates want done?

Four things, in Mr Ewing’s account: reduce fuel loads on the hill, fund training and equipment, make sure those who manage land have the tools and the confidence to act, and resource the response so fires can be tackled quickly when they start.

He said a workable and proportionate muirburn licensing scheme was part of that picture, describing controlled burning as one of the practical tools available to manage vegetation and cut fuel loads, and said the association was monitoring the scheme’s implementation closely.

He also repeated a call for dedicated aerial firefighting resources: “The UK and Scottish Governments should be investing in dedicated aerial resources so that major wildfires can be tackled rapidly, particularly in remote and upland areas where access is difficult and fires can spread quickly.”

What happens next

Businesses in and around the national park should watch for Highland Council’s announcement of the application process, which is expected within days. The muirburn licensing scheme continues to be implemented in the meantime, with NFU Scotland having called this week for a delay to it and land managers pressing for it to be workable enough to use for fuel-load reduction before next summer.