Scottish Wildfires

[David Humphries]

Nothing unusual at this time of year. Burning heather on the hill to encourage fresh growth. You sometimes find people get a bit over-enthusiastic or it's not uncommon for someone to drop a match for a bit of a laugh.

 

 

Thanks for that.

 

Does the heather get burnt anywhere near around the Caledonian forests?

 

 

 

 

 

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[Lorn Logs]

We've not had rain here in Argyll for a month. It's bone dry. There was a massive fire at Bonawe near to where I live last week, started by careless fishermen. Most of the other fires come from 'muirburn' which is an annual occurrence in Scotland at this time of year when farmers and landowners burn off scrub and old heather from their hill lands. These fires are now getting out of control due to the incredibly dry weather, and it has to be said, by poor management of the fires once they have been set. However, I've lived in Argyll for all of my life and I've never known the hills and forests to be so dry.

[highland dave]

Thanks for that.

 

Does the heather get burnt anywhere near around the Caledonian forests?

 

 

 

 

 

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Don't usually burn near forestry, far too risky if anything goes wrong. It only takes a veering wind or eddying gusts and a nice afternoon on the hill becomes something of a panic! We were burning 15 y.o plantations out on open hill ground as the new owner wanted to reinstate a grouse moor but we always burn small blocks at a time and always with an argo carrying fogging equipment.

[aitch]

We normally get a load of fires in early spring before the grass has had chance to green up. In purple moor grass it has years of dead grass underneath the new growth that builds the fuel load.

 

Of course you need a dry spell before hand though.

[sandy2210]

I could see that one in fort William from the house Quite a spectacle just after dark last night this was defiantly not a controlled burn but more likely started by kids only a part time fire brigade here and son in law out till 4 this morning and back out at another to-night

controlled burning carried out all around here but never that close to town or villages, kinlochleven just down the road is well known for kids starting fires around the village

[David Humphries]

, kinlochleven just down the road is well known for kids starting fires around the village

 

Just open up the hydro electric pipes and dowse the fires and the arsonists in one fell swoop

 

 

 

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[openspaceman]

Most of the other fires come from 'muirburn' which is an annual occurrence in Scotland at this time of year when farmers and landowners burn off scrub and old heather from their hill lands.

 

 

This is what is known as swaling in England? It's covered by the heather and grass burning regulations and only lawful between November and April.

 

Easter is the bad period for wildfires in my area as this is when the standing dead grass dries out enough to sustain a burn which moves into the heather and gorse, later in the season the lush new growth smothers it early. Mid June is when the damaging fires take hold as then there is enough dry material for the fire to get hot enough to move into the pine.

[sandy2210]

Just open up the hydro electric pipes and dowse the fires and the arsonists in one fell swoop

 

 

 

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been hearing the blackwater dam near empty they are desparate for rain to fill it again

[csservices]

Spent 9 days on a moor fire few years back when I was keeper on the Peaknaze moor near Glossop, was started by a dropped cigarette and burned 300+ acres, had 3 helicopters water bombing and filling temporary resevoirs, but the only one of them who was any good was a lad from up scotland he'd fly the bucket in just a few feet above ground level and make everyone count the local lads would panic and let the water go too high up so it would evaporate before it got near the fire due to the heat , one of the Peak park rangers told me the last fire they had on there before that, turned so quick that they were running ahead of it to get back to the vehicles and get them off the moor and eventually burnt itself out when reached the Snake pass

[Lorn Logs]

Looks like there's another one started on the Isle of Mull, I can see it from my back garden, not very big yet.....and still no sign of rain either