First Minister John Swinney has formally requested military aerial support from the UK Government to help bring the Cairngorms wildfire under control, as the blaze enters its 11th day and residents continue to be evacuated from the area.
The request followed a further meeting of the Scottish Government's Resilience Room (SGoRR) on Saturday, chaired by Swinney. He said: "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 and we await a response." Swinney added that the latest update showed an improved picture, but cautioned that conditions "can change very quickly due to the weather."
Days of Local Pressure Before the Request
The formal request came only after sustained pressure from within the affected communities. Local leaders in Badenoch and Strathspey had first appealed to the Scottish Government for military airborne assistance within 48 hours of the fire breaking out, well over a week before the request was actually submitted. Scottish Conservative MSP Tim Eagle also called for Holyrood to be recalled and for military assistance to be considered as criticism of the government's handling of the response intensified.
Evacuations and Local Impact
Many residents were evacuated from Nethy Bridge overnight as flames threatened to spread toward the village. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has separately advised residents in Tomintoul to keep windows and doors closed because of smoke drifting from the fire, and emergency services have appealed for operators with suitable plant machinery to report to Nethy Bridge Village Hall to support firefighting efforts on the ground.
Who Was Involved in the Decision
Saturday's SGoRR meeting was also attended by Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth, Justice Secretary Neil Gray, Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin and Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn, alongside representatives from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Police Scotland, Highland Council and the Cairngorms National Park Authority.
The Scottish Government said the fire service had reported positive progress in tackling the blaze while continuing preventative work to stop its spread further, with air support being prioritised for the areas where it can be of most benefit.
Wider Context
The fire adds to a growing pattern of serious wildfires affecting the Cairngorms and the wider Scottish countryside in recent summers, including what landowners described as the largest wildfire in Scottish history at Dava in Moray last year. In response to that trend, the Cairngorms National Park Authority introduced a by-law banning campfires and barbecues within the park earlier this year, and has funded equipment for private landowners and rural workers to help prevent and tackle future blazes.
What Happens Next
A response from the UK Government on the request for military aerial support was awaited at the time of writing. Given the scale of the operation already underway and the unpredictable weather conditions Swinney referenced, the situation remains classified as a major incident, with the Scottish Government continuing to urge the public to avoid the affected areas so responders can focus on containing the fire.