Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have issued wildfire warnings across Scotland until Friday (March 21st).
A very high warning has been in place for central and southwest Scotland for the past few days. This warning will continue to be in place for all low-lying areas of Scotland tomorrow (Thursday, March 20th). On Friday, the warning is very high for the central highlands and extreme for all low-lying areas.
High-risk areas are rural and remote areas, as they have more open areas with farmland and forests that can easily catch fire. This time of the year in the transition between winter and spring, the ground and crops are particularly dry. This increases the risk of wildfires spreading, and they can burn for days causing significant damage.
Wildfire Tactical Advisor for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Group Commander Murray Dalgleish stated; “Human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting, so it is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments and always follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.”
SFRS is urging Scots to exercise extreme caution, avoid using anything with a naked flame and if you see a fire anywhere you must report it.
How will this affect Stirling?
No wildfires in Stirling or the surrounding areas have been reported so far. However, last Saturday (March 15th), there was a wildfire in North Lanarkshire, which shut down train services in the area for the day.
Be aware of your surroundings, keep checking the news for warnings in your local area and if you have plans to travel around Scotland, keep an eye on websites such as Scot Rail for service updates.
Featured Image: EFFIS