New Equipment Deployed to Combat Wildfires in Rural Scotland

Rural Scotland is seeing the introduction of new equipment, including leaf blowers, jet washers, and all-terrain vehicles, to combat wildfires. Firefighters have issued a warning that moorland and forest fires represent a significant danger to rural communities, with the north west Highlands identified as the region most susceptible to risk. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is allocating £1.6 million towards new equipment to address this issue. This investment includes the acquisition of smaller fire appliances designed for country tracks and 4×4 vehicles equipped for firefighting. These vehicles will be equipped with large leaf blowers, which function by separating heat from fuel, and jet washers, which deploy a mist to permeate the ground in peat moor areas. All-terrain vehicles enhance firefighters’ ability to get closer to fires, aiming for faster extinguishment. Michael Bruce, a moorland fire management expert affiliated with Glen Tanar estate, anticipates that Scotland will experience extended fire seasons characterized by more intense and severe fires, attributing this trend to climate change. He stated: “In a Scottish context, it’s the severe fires, which could be peat fires, that we are most concerned about because they’re the ones which absorb huge amounts of resources.” Michael Humphreys, who serves as the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s local area commander for the Highlands and is the principal officer for wildfires, noted that milder winters and drier summers contribute to an increased amount of fuel in the landscape, leading to larger and more prolonged fires. He commented: “I would say this is one of the largest threats that rural communities face.” He added that “The investment has been vital to face this challenge and without it, it would have been considerably more difficult to face this growing threat.” The SFRS operates 61 fire stations throughout the Highlands. A current review could lead to the establishment of new stations in certain rural locations, aiming to enhance response times to wildfires. These potential new stations might accommodate significantly smaller appliances compared to conventional fire engines, thereby enabling firefighters to reach remote areas more readily. Scotland recently hosted an international conference on wildfires in Aberdeen, drawing experts from Spain, Portugal, and Australia. The event featured equipment demonstrations, specifically showcasing leaf blowers and jet washers, at the James Hutton Institute’s Glensaugh Farm, situated near Laurencekirk. Additionally, helicopters were observed dropping up to one tonne of water per pass from large buckets onto the hillside. Although Scotland’s fire service lacks direct access to helicopters, private estates have the option to arrange for their deployment via insurance providers. This method proves most effective when multiple aircraft simultaneously engage the fire, though such operations can incur substantial costs. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Details on our approach to external linking are available.