New Ban on Camp Fires and Barbecues in Cairngorms
A prohibition on camp fires and barbecues has been implemented in the UK's largest national park to mitigate the risk of wildfires.
Scottish ministers approved the new by-law for the Cairngorms last autumn, and it will be effective annually until 30 September. Individuals violating the ban may face fines up to £500.
Last summer, parts of the national park suffered severe damage from what landowners described as the largest wildfire in Scottish history.
The Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA), which requested the by-law, indicated that the ban followed an "extensive" public consultation process.
The national park spans 1,748 square miles (4,527 square kilometers) and encompasses areas within five local authorities: Aberdeenshire, Angus, Highland, Moray, and Perth and Kinross.
Approximately 18,000 residents live within the park, which attracts around two million visitors annually.
Enforcement of the Ban
The CNPA stated it collaborated with Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to ensure "robust enforcement" of the by-law.
To promote awareness of the ban, the CNPA will utilize leaflets, social media campaigns, and signage. Enforcement will be supported by the authority to issue fixed penalty notices.
Fines for breaches of the by-law will be capped at £500 per offence.
The CNPA highlighted that climate change has elevated the risk of wildfires in Scotland.
"We want people to keep enjoying all that the national park offers but we also need everyone to help protect it.
We know it only takes one rogue spark to start a wildfire and when there is so much to lose, we can't take that risk."
– Convener Sandy Bremner
Past Issues with Camp Fires and Anti-Social Behaviour
Damage resulting from camp fires and anti-social behaviour has been an ongoing concern in the park for several years.
In 2020, park rangers reported that attendees of a "disco party" in Glen Doll, Angus, left behind rubbish, fires, and human waste.
This event was among numerous incidents of irresponsible conduct encountered by Cairngorms park rangers that year.
Other incidents included as many as 30 campfires being ignited in a single night at Glenmore near Aviemore, which required intervention by firefighters to extinguish.
Despite these occurrences, rangers noted that the vast majority of visitors to the park behaved responsibly.
In late June and early July of the previous year, fires affected areas of the park located in the Highlands and Moray.
Scottish Land and Estates (SLE) estimated that the fires impacted approximately 29,225 acres (11,827 hectares), an area nearly 30 times larger than Lanarkshire's Strathclyde Park.
The wildfire incidents at Dava and Carrbridge led to the closure of local roads and advisories for nearby residents to keep windows closed due to smoke.
BBC Weather Watchers reported that smoke from the Carrbridge wildfire in the Highlands traveled 40 miles (64 kilometers) across the Moray Firth.
Causes and Risks of Wildfires
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) defines wildfires as large, uncontrolled outdoor fires that burn areas exceeding 1,000 square meters.
These fires are unplanned, uncontrolled, and unpredictable, typically occurring in regions with combustible vegetation that facilitates rapid spread.
Human activities are frequently responsible for igniting wildfires, including barbecues, glass bottles concentrating sunlight on dry vegetation, and discarded cigarettes.
One factor contributing to the persistence of fires on moorland is the presence of peaty soil, which fuels the flames.
"Wildfires pose a real risk to people, properties and nature.
Each wildfire we respond to can have a significant impact on our resources and these incidents are often in remote locations, which take time to reach."
– Area Commander Robert Lennox
"Extreme weather events are becoming more common across Scotland, and we know that communities in the Cairngorms have felt this acutely in recent years, with floods, drought and wildfires."
