First Minister bows to pressure and asks the military for help as an out-of-control wildfire rages in the Highlands

By HANNAH RODGER, SCOTTISH CHIEF REPORTER Published: 19:27, 25 July 2026 | Updated: 19:27, 25 July 2026 John Swinney bowed to pressure and called in the Army after a major incident was declared over an out-of-control wildfire in the Highlands. The Scottish Government has requested help from the military to tackle the Cairngorms blaze, which has been raging for ten days and has forced hundreds of residents from their homes. The intervention comes amid growing criticism of John Swinney, his ministers and national park bosses, who are accused of being ‘asleep at the wheel’ over the disaster. The Scottish Conservatives have demanded parliament be recalled and have questioned why military help wasn’t asked for sooner. Aberdeenshire MP Andrew Bowie said: ‘It’s better late than never but the Scottish Government should have declared a major incident days ago when it became clear that this fire was out of control. ‘It’s good that the army has finally been called in but residents of Nethy Bridge and across the region will be wondering why this has taken so long.’ The First Minister convened a Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR) meeting this afternoon and announced he had requested military help from Westminster. He said the blaze was still a ‘major and serious incident’ and urged people to avoid the areas affected by wildfire, adding: ‘A request has been made today to the UK Government for military assistance in aerial support that can be used to supplement existing resources that are being deployed to tackle the Cairngorms wildfire.’ Wildfires sweeping across the Cairngorms have caused homes to be evacuated  Helicopters battle the Cairngorms wildfire near Nethy Bridge which is still burning today Swinney has requested help from the Army The Mail on Sunday can also reveal bosses at the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA), a quango funded by taxpayers, admitted last year that more firebreaks were needed to make the area safer but putting them in would ‘generate significant criticism’, and ‘likely conflict’ with landowners’ plans and ‘the special qualities’ of the park. The CNPA’s Integrated Wildfire Management Plan published in June 2025 warned that the high level of burnable vegetation close to homes in Nethy Bridge, ‘could increase risk in extreme conditions’ and ‘encouraged’ landowners to ‘consider’ this in their fire management plans.  The same report admitted: ‘Some landowners may wish to avoid creating firebreaks principally because of the maintenance requirement that is then established.’ Around 600 residents of Nethy Bridge, near Aviemore, were advised to evacuate by police over the last two days as the wildfire risked torching their homes, while specialist emergency crews worked through the night on Friday to create a new firebreak to protect the village. Former CNPA board member Deirdre Falconer said the organisation’s Wildfire Plan was ‘common sense’ but meant nothing if it wasn’t legally enforceable. She told the MoS: ‘The current CNPA Integrated Wildfire Mitigation Plan is very practical and common sense. However none of the recommendations are mandatory. ‘Nobody is forcing landowners to create and maintain firebreaks, so it makes a mockery of the whole thing. If there is no compulsion in any of this …that’s a major failing, as they are now currently having to create firebreaks to stop the wildfire spreading to homes and businesses. ‘That is a national disgrace and steps have to be taken so that the creation of firebreaks are legally enforced. If you choose to rewild your land, through tree planting or whatever, you should legally have to have firebreaks built in there, especially when there are businesses and properties nearby to protect. Fire crews have tackled the blaze for 10 days with the military now asked to step in  Aerial images taken today show the extent of the wildfire spreading through the National Park  ‘Bodies of water, footpaths and forest tracks paths can’t be relied upon to act as firebreaks. ‘In the last week we’ve seen fire jumping over tracks - they do not work. The current situation is not good enough.’ Sandy McCook, chairman of the Nethy Bridge community council, said the government’s response was not good enough. He said: ‘There has not been enough urgency. The Scottish Government have slept on this. It took until 10pm on Friday night for the Scottish government, despite my imploring of them, for this to be declared as a major incident. Police Scotland took the initiative, which almost embarrassed the First Minister into it. ‘We have been asking since the end of last week for the government to chair the SGORR meeting and they did not do so until day nine. Had that been done last weekend we wouldn’t be where we are.  'The village, the whole area is not happy at the way it has been handled. 'There must be a thorough look at this afterwards because the response from government has not been good enough.’ This morning Tory MSP Tim Eagle wrote to Holyrood’s presiding officer, demanding parliament be recalled, allowing MSPs to hold ministers to account. He said: ‘As Scotland battles one of the most serious wildfire emergencies in recent memory, the SNP's response has been defined by delay, drift and a shocking lack of leadership. ‘While brave firefighters have worked around the clock and local communities have feared for their homes, ministers have looked asleep at the wheel instead of taking decisive action. ‘At a time when Scotland needed visible leadership, people have been left wondering who has actually been in charge. ‘I have urged the Presiding Officer to now recall parliament so John Swinney can explain the government’s upcoming response for the safety of our communities who have been left waiting for answers.’ A Scottish Parliament spokeswoman said: ‘The Presiding Officer has received the Member’s correspondence and will respond as soon as practically possible.’ Sandy Bremner, convener at the CNPA said the authority ‘doesn’t have legal powers to compel landowners to follow the Integrated Wildfire Management Plan guidelines.’. Nethy Bridge community council leader Sandy McCook has been critical of the government's response Deirdre Falconer, a former CNPA board member, said firebreaks must be enforced He said: ‘The plan was created in close consultation with estates across the National Park, including those affected by the current wildfire, and includes specific actions for them. Each estate’s wildfire management plan supplements the wider one for the whole of the Cairngorms National Park. ‘There has been progress with delivering the plan over the past year. The Park Authority has invested heavily in wildfire prevention over the past few years, from the fire byelaw, signage, a communications campaign, more countryside rangers and around £300,000 of firefighting equipment.’ The Ministry of Defence has been contacted for comment.