231124BdPaper3FireManagementByelaws

This document contains a proposal for the Cairngorms National Park Authority to start a public consultation on whether to create a fire management byelaw for the Cairngorms National Park. The consultation, planned for January 2024, will explore three different options, including a year-round byelaw, a time-limited byelaw for periods of high fire risk, and no byelaw at all, relying instead on increased communication and education. The need for this consultation comes from the increasing risk of wildfires due to climate change and a rise in fire-related incidents within the National Park, aiming to protect people, nature, and property. If the board agrees to proceed with a byelaw, it could be in operation by 2025, but only after being drafted, going through a public inspection period, getting approved by the Cairngorms National Park Authority Board, and being confirmed by Scottish Ministers.