Second phase of Cairngorms National Park fire management byelaw consultation enters final week

Members of the public have a week left to have their say on the wording of a fire management byelaw for the Cairngorms National Park.

The public consultation was launched after plans for the byelaw were agreed by the Park Authority board on 13 September. 

The board agreed to develop a seasonal fire management byelaw, which would last from 1 April to 30 September each year. An earlier public consultation attracted 1,600 responses, with 79% in support of the introduction of a byelaw.  

The Park Authority is required to consult on the specific wording of the byelaw, as set out in the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000. This consultation is due to close next Monday, 16 December. 

Colin Simpson, Head of Visitor Services and Active Travel at the Cairngorms National Park Authority, said: “People who responded to the first phase of the consultation told us that a byelaw should be easy to communicate, should not be heavy-handed, and should cover the period with the greatest risk – the busy summer months. We listened to that feedback and incorporated it into the draft wording. 

“With a week to go, I’d encourage anyone with a passion for the Cairngorms National Park to respond to this second stage consultation to help us shape the detail of the byelaw.” 

People who live, work in and visit the National Park can give feedback by completing the online questions on the National Park website. The public can also submit their thoughts in writing or over the phone. The findings from this consultation will inform the development of the final fire byelaw. 

The Park Authority will assess responses in January 2025, after which the Board will consider the final wording of the byelaw, before making a submission to Scottish Ministers. 

More details on the process of the introduction of a fire byelaw can be found on the National Park website: cairngorms.co.uk/fires