'Very high' wildfire risk sparks warning over potential devastation and appeal to public
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A very high to extreme risk of wildfire is in place across parts of Scotland until Monday.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has urged people who live within or who may enter rural environments to exercise caution.
A very high risk warning is in place across north-west Scotland from tomorrow.
Wildfires have the potential to burn for days and devastate vast areas of land and wildlife and to threaten the welfare of nearby communities.
Local senior officer Bruce Farquharson said: "We are asking the public to exercise extreme caution and think twice before using anything involving a naked flame.
"Many rural and remote communities are hugely impacted by wildfires, which can cause significant damage.Livestock, farmland, wildlife, protected woodland and sites of special scientific interest can all be devastated by these fires - as can the lives of people living and working in rural communities.
"These fires can also have a hugely negative impact on the environment and the release of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.
"Human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting, so it is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments, and always follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code."
The Scottish Outdoor Access Code can be found here.
Wildfire warnings can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/fire_scot and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/firescot/
