BEINSMARTSIDE UK Hikers evacuated while Scotland battles wildfires on two fronts

Hikers evacuated while Scotland battles wildfires on two fronts

April 6, 2025April 6, 2025 | .. | 0 Comment | 8:50 pm
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On Friday evening, two team members arrived at Caldons, Glentrool, in preparation for the early morning start setting up the Bruce's Crown Race. On arrival, they could see the orange glow of wildfire toward Buchan Ridge. They drove to Bruce's Stone car park to try and get a better view of the fire's location. They noticed a few cars parked at Bruce's Stone and immediately became concerned about wild campers in the area. They still could not determine where the fire was, so they drove to Culsharg Bothy. On arrival, they could view the full extent of the fire and location. At this point, they alerted the team leader, who alerted the emergency services and expressed concern about possible campers in the area. At 0020hrs a full team callout was put out. The team arrived at Stroan Bridge to meet with police and fire personnel. The police relocated the RV to Glentrool Hive. At the RV, police and a GMRT Incident Manager inquired about the campers' location. Police obtained phone number and sent out phone finds. At approximately 3:30 am, a phone find located two campers north of Little Spear. A hill party deployed and made its way up Kirriereoch to pick up the campers on Little Spear. They were both safely located and evacuated from the hill. While this was happening, Rescue 199 from Prestwick located campers in the Loch Valley region and got them to safety. The last remaining campers were located around 10am not far from Bruce's Stone. During the day team members assisted using the team drone to assess different areas. At 330pm new information from FLS staff confirmed that the fire was spreading north quickly toward Loch Doon and had also moved to the south of Loch Dee. Team members assisted police officers alerting residents and campers in the Loch Doon and Clatteringshaws areas, advising them about the fire. Our control vehicle was also deployed to Loch Doon to assist the police and also act as spotters overnight. All team members were safely home by 4:00 a.m. this morning. We would urged anyone heading to the hills over the next week to take care and avoid lighting camp fires or using naked flames. It's an exceptionally dry period of weather we have been having and for the next week it is going to be very dry as well.
Wildfires have raged in the Highlands and Galloway Forest Park this weekend (Picture: Galloway Mountain Rescue Team)

Hikers and campers have been evacuated from the path of wildfires threatening one of Scotland’s national parks.

Flames that started at Glentrool in Galloway have spread through the forest, 15 miles north to Loch Doon, famous for its castle ruins.

The fire started after temperatures reached 23°C on Friday, the hottest day of the year so far.

Rescue teams tracked down wild campers in the area and helped them to safety after spotting the ‘orange glow’ that evening.

Dry, sunny days that have followed have given firefighters little break from tackling the flames with helicopters dropping ‘water bombs’.

Group Commander Garry Douglas said: ‘During any period of heightened risk, fires can ignite easily, spread very quickly, and burn with high intensity.

‘At this time of year in early spring, we typically have a large volume of dead, bone-dry vegetation across large areas of countryside. This essentially acts as a fuel for fire.’

On Friday evening, two team members arrived at Caldons, Glentrool, in preparation for the early morning start setting up the Bruce's Crown Race. On arrival, they could see the orange glow of wildfire toward Buchan Ridge. They drove to Bruce's Stone car park to try and get a better view of the fire's location. They noticed a few cars parked at Bruce's Stone and immediately became concerned about wild campers in the area. They still could not determine where the fire was, so they drove to Culsharg Bothy. On arrival, they could view the full extent of the fire and location. At this point, they alerted the team leader, who alerted the emergency services and expressed concern about possible campers in the area. At 0020hrs a full team callout was put out. The team arrived at Stroan Bridge to meet with police and fire personnel. The police relocated the RV to Glentrool Hive. At the RV, police and a GMRT Incident Manager inquired about the campers' location. Police obtained phone number and sent out phone finds. At approximately 3:30 am, a phone find located two campers north of Little Spear. A hill party deployed and made its way up Kirriereoch to pick up the campers on Little Spear. They were both safely located and evacuated from the hill. While this was happening, Rescue 199 from Prestwick located campers in the Loch Valley region and got them to safety. The last remaining campers were located around 10am not far from Bruce's Stone. During the day team members assisted using the team drone to assess different areas. At 330pm new information from FLS staff confirmed that the fire was spreading north quickly toward Loch Doon and had also moved to the south of Loch Dee. Team members assisted police officers alerting residents and campers in the Loch Doon and Clatteringshaws areas, advising them about the fire. Our control vehicle was also deployed to Loch Doon to assist the police and also act as spotters overnight. All team members were safely home by 4:00 a.m. this morning. We would urged anyone heading to the hills over the next week to take care and avoid lighting camp fires or using naked flames. It's an exceptionally dry period of weather we have been having and for the next week it is going to be very dry as well.
Smoke and flames have been visible from far off on the horizon (Picture: Galloway Mountain Rescue Team)

Another wildfire rages 190 miles further north in the Highlands, where firefighters spent Sunday battling flames at Stac Pollaidh, a mountain used as a backdrop in Disney’s Star Wars: Ahsoka series.

‘There is heavy smoke’, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said. ‘Members of the public are urged to stay away.’

Most of Scotland remains at ‘very high’ or ‘extreme’ risk of wildfires until Monday, according to the fire service, which has issued three such warnings this year.

It responds to 170 wildfires each year, 80% of which are between March and May.

While last year saw less than a third of that number due to wet weather well into Spring, this year is proving warmer and drier.

On Friday evening, two team members arrived at Caldons, Glentrool, in preparation for the early morning start setting up the Bruce's Crown Race. On arrival, they could see the orange glow of wildfire toward Buchan Ridge. They drove to Bruce's Stone car park to try and get a better view of the fire's location. They noticed a few cars parked at Bruce's Stone and immediately became concerned about wild campers in the area. They still could not determine where the fire was, so they drove to Culsharg Bothy. On arrival, they could view the full extent of the fire and location. At this point, they alerted the team leader, who alerted the emergency services and expressed concern about possible campers in the area. At 0020hrs a full team callout was put out. The team arrived at Stroan Bridge to meet with police and fire personnel. The police relocated the RV to Glentrool Hive. At the RV, police and a GMRT Incident Manager inquired about the campers' location. Police obtained phone number and sent out phone finds. At approximately 3:30 am, a phone find located two campers north of Little Spear. A hill party deployed and made its way up Kirriereoch to pick up the campers on Little Spear. They were both safely located and evacuated from the hill. While this was happening, Rescue 199 from Prestwick located campers in the Loch Valley region and got them to safety. The last remaining campers were located around 10am not far from Bruce's Stone. During the day team members assisted using the team drone to assess different areas. At 330pm new information from FLS staff confirmed that the fire was spreading north quickly toward Loch Doon and had also moved to the south of Loch Dee. Team members assisted police officers alerting residents and campers in the Loch Doon and Clatteringshaws areas, advising them about the fire. Our control vehicle was also deployed to Loch Doon to assist the police and also act as spotters overnight. All team members were safely home by 4:00 a.m. this morning. We would urged anyone heading to the hills over the next week to take care and avoid lighting camp fires or using naked flames. It's an exceptionally dry period of weather we have been having and for the next week it is going to be very dry as well.
This week has seen wildfires break out in Scotland, Northern Ireland and England (Picture: Galloway Mountain Rescue Team)

Douglas said: ‘There are currently vast areas that are tinder-dry and vulnerable, which provides all the ingredients for fire to take hold and spread.

‘Human behaviour is the cause of most wildfires in Scotland, so it is imperative we all act responsibly while enjoying the outdoors, especially over the coming days of predicted sunshine.

‘By following some simple but key advice, we can significantly reduce the risk of wildfire occurring.’

More than 100 firefighters tackled a wildfire suspected to have been started deliberately in Northern Ireland, where warnings were also in place. A man was arrested on Sunday.

A wildfire charred 126 acres of heathland at nature reserves in Poole, Dorset, on Wednesday. This too has been blamed on ‘human intervention’.

Dovestone Reservoir was also the scene of a wildfire in Greater Manchester on Sunday.

Grass and heather also caught fire in moorland near Dumbarton, west of Glasgow during the week.

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