Wildfires in Highlands 'only going to get worse,' locals fear

Published: 19:40, 18 July 2026 | Updated: 19:40, 18 July 2026 Dry conditions could allow the devastating wildfire in the Cairngorms National Park to keep burning for days, locals fear. More than a square mile of land has been ravaged by the blaze since it took hold on heathland at Ryvoan Bothy, near Nethy Bridge, late on Wednesday morning. Firefighters will today spend their fifth successive day tackling the fire which has destroyed vast tracts of the landscape. Such has been the danger, that homes and businesses had to be evacuated as a safety precaution. Residents now say they dread what’s to come as the forecast predicts continued tinderbox conditions. Yesterday, Scottish Fire and Rescue (SFRS) still had more than 50 firefighters deployed, assisted by two helicopters, nine appliances, and a range of other specialist equipment. It is not known how the inferno started. The fire sweeps across parched landscape as more than 50 firefighters on the ground battle to contain the flames A high volume pump has been used to draw water from Loch Morlich to support firefighting efforts, with crews also helping landowners and other agencies to establish firebreaks. Sandy McCook, chairman of Nethy Bridge and Vicinity Community Council believes it was a stroke of luck which saved populated areas from being consumed by the fire. ‘We were basically saved by the direction of the wind. It normally blows from the south west but on Wednesday it began in the north east and switched to the north west,’ he said.  ‘Had the wind been blowing as normal, the fire would have consumed the Abernethy Forest... and Nethy is known as “The Forest Village”.’ Mr McCook also took exception to comments by Justice Secretary Neil Gray, who had said the fire was ‘currently contained’ on Thursday, before the response was scaled up a day later. He said: ‘It is not contained. It is still burning, as we speak. If they had used a helicopter on this fire when it was first reported, it would have been out within hours. ‘Now, we not only have this fire burning into its fourth day today and the weather forecasts suggests no rain on the horizon. We are not just worried about the months ahead.  'We are worried about the days and weeks ahead because this summer is not over yet. The forecast is for warm and dry weather for next week.’ A deep area of low pressure will remain out to the west of the UK next week, effectively protecting Scotland from any wind and rain coming in from the Atlantic. This will keep conditions fine and dry for the Cairngorm area, with forecasters not expecting rain until Saturday.  Yesterday, Jon Henderson, SFRS assistant chief officer, said conditions remained ‘dangerous and unpredictable’. Helicopters waterbomb the raging wildfire He said: ‘The terrain is mountainous and some of it is inaccessible, and incidents like wildfires ebb and flow over time. ‘We hope to make some progress today but the likelihood is we continue the response over the weekend, then assess what that looks like for the week forward.’ The SFRS has continued to urge the public to stay away. A strict cordon remains in place, with no access to Glenmore Forest Park or Loch Morlich, to support firefighter operations and ensure public safety. Area Commander Lynne Gow said the wildfire continues to be ‘a complex and protracted incident’, involving ‘significant resources’. She said: ‘We are undertaking aggressive operations across two sectors to contain and suppress the fire.’  Meanwhile, the latest water scarcity report from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency shows a country drying up in the summer heat. The RSPB said around 300 hectares of land have been burnt so far. Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth said ministers have been receiving ‘regular and routine updates’.