Views sought on pioneering wildfire management plan for Cairngorms National Park

Land managers are being invited to give their views on a detailed plan to tackle wildfire risk across the Cairngorms National Park.

The Integrated Wildfire Management Plan – the first of its kind in the UK – aims to provide support and guidance for land managers in the National Park to reduce the risk of fires, be better prepared to tackle wildfires and to make the landscape more resilient.

Following approval by the Park Authority board last week, views are now being sought in a formal public consultation. This is being developed in parallel (but separate to) the National Park seasonal fire byelaw, which will be submitted to Scottish ministers in the coming weeks.

Wildfires release carbon, can damage or destroy sensitive and rare habitats, can kill species and pose a significant threat to people and property. Climate change impacts, including rising temperatures and drier summers, have increased wildfire risk. Major incidents at Cannich and Daviot in the Highlands in June 2023 brought this into sharp focus.

The Integrated Wildfire Management Plan recognises that the Cairngorms National Park is already blessed with a workforce on estates which are skilled, practiced and equipped to fight fires. It is vital that those skills and resources are maintained in the years ahead, to ensure all land holdings reach a high standard in terms of wildfire prevention and preparedness. The plan sets out how land managers can lower the risks of wildfires breaking out in the first place, as well as how they can work together with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to tackle fires swiftly and effectively.

The comprehensive document – one of the commitments of the latest National Park Partnership Plan – covers everything from training guidance, risk assessments and fire-fighting equipment, to fuel loads and firebreaks.

Sandy Bremner, Convener of the Cairngorms National Park Authority, said: “The changing climate heightens the risk of wildfire across the National Park and we need to respond accordingly.

“This is a pioneering piece of work and I’d encourage anyone working in the land management sector to give feedback on the plan.”

Colin McClean, Head of Land Management at the Cairngorms National Park Authority, said: “The plan recognises there are a wide range of land management objectives across the Cairngorms and a corresponding wide range of strongly held views about wildfire mitigation amongst land managers in the National Park.

“Nearly all decisions relevant to wildfire are made by land managers. This plan  seeks to reach a level of agreement which is in everyone’s interest.

“We look forward to hearing the views of land managers and working with them to help mitigate fire risk in the years ahead.”

A public consultation on the plan will run for six weeks. The Park Authority Board will then review responses and consider approving it formally when it meets in June.

Meanwhile, plans for a seasonal fire management byelaw covering the National Park are being submitted to Scottish ministers after the formal wording was approved by Park Authority board members.

The proposal has now been shared with Scottish ministers and, if approved, would see a byelaw come into force between 1 April and 30 September each year, covering the period of with the greatest number of visitors to the National Park.

An initial public consultation attracted 1,600 responses, with 79% in support of the introduction of a byelaw. A second statutory consultation on the draft wording drew an additional 119 responses.

Have your say on the draft Integrated Wildfire Management Plan

Click here to download a copy of the draft Integrated Wildfire Management Plan.

There are several ways to have your say on the draft plan:

• Respond by email to [email protected], including ‘Integrated Wildfire Management Plan’ in the subject.
• Call us on 01479 873 535 and ask to speak to a member of the Land Management team.
• Write to Cairngorms National Park Authority, 14 The Square, Grantown-on-Spey, PH26 3HG.