Potential ban on recreational fires in Cairngorms goes out to public consultation
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A 10-week consultation which could potentially result in a ban on recreational fires in the Cairngorms National Park is getting under way from today.
The public are being asked their views on the possible introduction of restrictions on lighting fires in Badenoch and Strathspey and the wider region.
Related articles:
The fires after the night before at Loch Morlich
Fire warnings going unheeded at Cairngorms beauty spot
Glenmore fires... a community's call to arms
Ban on campfires being considered by Cairngorms National Park Authority
The Cairngorms National Park Authority is carrying out the consultation on fire byelaws after its board members agreed in November, last year, to consider the options to minimise the risk of potentially devastating wildfires starting.
CNPA board convener Sandy Bremner said: “A significant wildfire in the national park could have devastating consequences for the area’s environment, communities and economy so it is really important that we carefully consider how we reduce the risks and plan for the future.
“We have been extremely lucky not to have witnessed wildfires on the scale that we saw last summer in Cannich and at Daviot but residents and land managers have expressed their concerns directly to us.
“We think this is a good time to have those conversations and gather views on whether byelaws should form part of the park’s approach to reducing the risk of wildfire going forward.”
There are three potential options for respondents to give their views on.
These are:
• no byelaws to be introduced and instead build on the current approach ‘investing in education and communications to raise awareness of the risks of fires in the national park’.
• The second option is a byelaw which would ban recreational fires only at times of high fire risk with certain exemptions such as private gardens.
• A final option would be a year round fire management byelaw which would restrict recreational fires with certain exceptions, 12 months of the year.
The public is also asked if there are any other proposals they think would be appropriate with the CNPA making clear that it is not putting forward a preferred option as part of this process.
CNPA chief executive Grant Moir said: “No single approach will take away all of that risk but we need to look at all the options as we develop an overall integrated fire management plan for the national park.
“The board will consider all the consultation responses in June and will decide which option to take forward as a park authority. It is really important that we hear all views on this important issue.”
A park authority spokesperson said: “Wildfire risk is increasing in Scotland and climate modelling shows a predicted increase in drought periods.
“The Cairngorms National Park is home to 25 per cent of the UK’s rare and endangered species and around half of Scotland’s ancient pinewoods.”
As for barbecues, the spokesperson said: “Barbecues will be treated the same as fires. They will be okay in private gardens but not allowed in option two during periods of high fire risk or all year round in option the.
“The byelaws would not cover gas barbecues.”
The move follows huge concerns in the Glenmore area in particular from residents over the potential risk of blazes in the surrounding forest caused by camp fires in and around the Loch Morlich.
Park officers said last Autumn if the bylaws were backed it would still not be until some time in 2025 that they could be introduced.
To take part in the consultation click here.
