Wildfires
At the June meeting of Torridon and Kinlochewe Community Council, the chairman welcomed Martin Butcher, Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service (HIFRS) to the meeting to talk about the recent wildfires, notably those at Torridon and Loch Maree.
There were numerous wildfires in the HIFRS area over the very dry spell at the end of April and the beginning of May to the extent that the Service was stretched to cope with the situation.
The overall cost was significant, both in terms of financial cost to the Service (£125,000 in wages, £5,000 in lost equipment) and in disruption to firefighters' lives and jobs.
Torridon had one of the largest fires covering some 1,500 hectares of hill ground and destroying 40 hectares of woodland.
The fire spread unpredictably, threatening houses in both Annat and Fasaig and necessitating the evacuation of the campsite at 4am one morning.
Around 200 personnel and 38 fire appliances from all over the Highlands attended over four days, many on multiple occasions. The use of helicopter water bombing was finally instrumental in extinguishing the fires.
Martin would like to urge people to be more careful regarding fires, and local landlords to get together and draw up a fire fighting plan to pass on to the Highlands and Islands Fire Board Community Risk Management Department - telephone 01463 227000 - for approval.
A question was asked as to whether or not training could be given to the public to help with fire fighting. The answer was that it was preferable, for safety reasons, to use the HIFB provision for training.
The community council expressed sincere thanks for the fire board's hard work during these recent wildfires - Fasaig residents expressed their thanks too.
Winter gritting
At the same meeting, it was reported that Highland Councillor Richard Greene has taken up the issue of winter gritting with TEC services.
There is to be a new depot in Gairloch for covered salt storage. This should help the situation. A suggestion was also made that, with most of the Highland Council's supply of salt coming from Ireland, landing facilities at Kishorn could be utilised and some salt be stored there.
At the subsequent well-attended ward forum meeting in Poolewe on June 13, half of the time was dedicated to the subject of winter gritting.
All ward councillors were present as were two representatives from TEC services. They gave detailed explanation of the Highland Council's position, later giving ample opportunity for comments and questions from the floor. Councillor Greene stressed the importance of village roads, such as that to Melvaig, where considerable difficulty was often encountered before motorists got anywhere near the A832 main road.
Others commented on the anomalous situations obtaining in some areas where a gritter lorry driver's home was on such a side road and yet the lorry was driven home at night without any grit on board and then driven over the same route the next morning, maybe over icy and snow conditions.
The response from TEC services regarding dry salt, which undoubtedly is more effective, did not impress!
Several of those present commented on the number of times members of the public were mystified as to why the scraping blade on gritter lorries was so frequently raised. Whilst accepting that certain conditions were unsuitable for "blading", the reply was not too convincing.
Gairloch High School head teacher John Port attended the meeting to reiterate the inconvenience caused to the smooth running of the school by wintry road conditions, with pupils and staff travelling considerable distances.
He stated that whilst TEC services' officials and staff were courteous and helpful, this did not do much to alleviate the situation.
Overall, this was a good, and hopefully worthwhile, meeting, with plenty opportunity given for opinions to be expressed.
It became very clear that Councillor Richard Greene had left no stone unturned in pursuing this subject, and this was expressly stated. We are very grateful to Richard for this.
Holiday Club
Children from P1 to P7 are given a slippery invitation to the Rocky's Plaice Holiday Club which will run from Monday to Friday, July 4 to 8, 11am to 1pm, in Aultbea Free Church Hall. Transport will be available from Poolewe at 10.45am. Further details are available from Jeremy/Fiona on 731345 or Susan on 731376.
Poolewe and Aultbea Free Church Communion
At their communion weekend, the preachers in Poolewe and Aultbea Free Church were Rev Kenneth I MacLeod, Stornoway and Rev Alasdair MacLeod, Minister Designate of Gairloch and Kinlochewe Free Church. Mr MacLeod, formerly Minister of Crossbost Free Church in Lochs, Isle of Lewis, is due to be inducted to the congregation on Friday, July 1, with a service in Gairloch Free Church at 7pm, followed by a reception in Gairloch Community Hall. All are cordially invited.
The Faroes
It was interesting to hear on a BBC Radio nan Gaidheal programme that on a recent visit to the Faroe Island, the presenter visited a museum where he saw a ration book in the name of an Effie Campbell from Coast, Laide. It's a small world!
