Wildfires sweep across Scotland after unseasonably dry weather

More than 80 wildfires have been put out by Scottish firefighters, with over 150 firefighters and 30 fire engines called out during the Easter weekend.

A huge fire near Fort William, stretching for three miles, was brought under control by 45 firefighters.

And large moor fires in other areas of Scotland, including on South Uist, have also been put out.

Both Benbecula and Lochboisdale sent fire engines, which were joined by Storas Uibhist estate workers and local volunteers.

The fire, which was at Ludag on the southern tip of the island, spread across many acres.

There was also a serious fire on the Ardnamurchan peninsula, which was two miles across and threatened the village of Strontian.

While much of the UK has been dealing with extreme cold and snow, many areas of Scotland have had no rain for several weeks, leaving the heather and ground very dry.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said in a statement: “While much of the country has been affected by wintry conditions, the west coast of the Highlands, Skye and the Western Isles have experienced cold but unseasonably dry conditions, which have been a factor in the number of wildfire incidents.”

Shooting Times contributor, Iain Watson, said that there have been a number of fires on the island of Lewis.

The largest one was at Tolsta, which is the most serious fire on the island for a number of years and had been burning for more than a week.

According to Iain: “It has caused significant damage to the breeding chances of a lot of ground-nesting birds, particularly grouse, which are a vital part of our sporting asset.”

“While muirburn has been a feature of life, and a very necessary one, the situation does seem to be getting out of control, with recklessness taking over from controlled burning.”

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Wildfires sweep across Scotland after unseasonably dry weather