Official Report 880KB pdf
Business is resuming, so I ask members who are leaving the chamber and those who are leaving the public gallery to do so as quickly and quietly as possible.
The next item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S6M-18710, in the name of Emma Roddick, on the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament notes with grave concern the reported increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires in Scotland, including in the Highlands and Islands, and the devastating impact these events have on the environment, economy and communities; recognises what it sees as the unique vulnerability of the Highlands and Islands due to its expansive rural landscape, peatlands and the changing climate; highlights what it sees as the significant risks posed to biodiversity, air quality and critical infrastructure; recognises what it sees as the immense pressure that is placed on emergency services, local resources and the resilience efforts that are required from everyone, from government to third sector volunteers; notes the reported role of climate change, land management practices and human activity in contributing to these events, and further notes the calls on the Scottish Government to review its wildfire prevention and response strategies, and for cross-party collaboration to develop a robust, long-term plan to mitigate the threat of wildfires, discourage irresponsible behaviours and build resilience in communities.
12:50
First, I recognise that, as I speak, there is a crowd of people outside the Parliament from the climate mass lobby. I know that a number of my constituents have made the journey from the Highlands and Islands in order to have their voices heard. While I am in the chamber, leading what I know is a very important debate, I recognise what they are doing as well, and I apologise that I cannot be with them today.
The increasing intensity and frequency of wildfires is expected given climate change and the related extreme weather events that we are seeing. I am clear that effort is needed to tackle climate change if we want this world to remain habitable for our species and to mitigate the impacts of wildfires, flooding and other events on our infrastructure, communities and natural environment.
The less we do to limit our impact on climate change, the more it is going to cost us in lives and livelihoods, and financially. These are expensive events to tackle and recover from. The overall efforts to decarbonise transport, housing and energy are not separate from what I am about to speak to, and neither is restoring biodiversity. However, in the rest of my speech, I will focus on the reality that, regardless of what I hope will become an escalation in efforts worldwide to address our impact on the climate, we need to get better at preventing and reacting to wildfires.
I have had many constituents write to me about wildfires. Some have personally been heavily impacted by them and others are simply devastated by what they have witnessed, particularly at Dava moor this summer. The fires destroyed woodland and killed thousands of animals, and reportedly people could smell them from as far away from the site as Orkney.
A common theme in what folk have been calling for is action against the irresponsible tourism and camping that are so often linked to these events. Even when the exact cause is not known, as at Dava, the remains of glass bottles, burned tinfoil and campsites that are spotted among the devastation infuriate locals, especially victims of the blaze.
The Cairngorms National Park Authority is leading the way, with Scotland’s first fire management byelaw—to restrict open fires and barbecues—currently waiting for sign-off from ministers. I am glad that such steps are being taken to protect our national park, but I and many others in the Highlands would like that action to be replicated across the region. The Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity has heard from me on numerous occasions about the potential for a Scotland-wide ban on disposable barbecues, particularly over the summer months, and I hope that, when he sums up, he will lay out any limitations on the Government doing that and say what his suggested way forward is. It is not enough to say that the issue is complex and leave it alone. We need to take action here. If we are unsure about devolved competence, we must test it and not just abdicate responsibility.
The temporary fun of a disposable barbecue is not worth the danger to life, whether human or animal—wild or livestock—the risk to the environment, or the potential damage to rural businesses and homes. As the chief executive officer of the CNPA, Grant Moir, told me, the recreational fires that were agreed as being appropriate 25 years ago are no longer so. The risk of wildfires has increased, their intensity when they catch is greater and the incidence of uncontrolled fires, thanks to folk taking risks, is simply too high.
The CNPA is doing a lot that could be replicated elsewhere and it is leading the way. We do not need to reinvent any wheels. Under its climate adaptation fund, it has so far provided grants of more than £600,000, including for fire management equipment and training for estates and contractors. With Scottish Land & Estates, it is working to replace equipment that was damaged in the Dava fires. That building of resilience and use of existing expertise and roles that are based on the ground where the wildfires take place will undoubtedly support faster and more effective reactions when fires are spotted.
Another issue is raised with me frequently. Who should have easy access to a helicopter? Among the various suggestions that have been made, one is that NatureScot is not quick enough to react because landowner insurance can cause issues. Given the risks in allowing fires to spread, looking at how the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service can more quickly and reliably get access to helicopter support in tackling blazes seems overdue. Scottish Land & Estates has suggested that the fire service should have its own helicopter capabilities. A constituent of mine suggested that responsibility should sit with NatureScot and another told me that it really does not matter, and that whoever can react should be given the resources to do so.
Management of fuel load comes up frequently, too, and I hope that the minister will respond to demands from gamekeepers to ensure that muirburn licences are attainable to help with wildfire prevention. Mutual aid provided by land managers in a crisis is invaluable. Those people know about the land, access to it and the risk factors involved. As the Government responds to cross-party calls for more action on wildfires, it will need to include those voices in plans and policies.
I am not one to call for action plans, strategies or other Government stratagems, but the lack of a Scottish wildfire plan seems to be a screaming gap, given the massive co-ordination between authorities that is needed to manage not only risk but active incidents. The kit that is available to fire services to tackle wildfires must be considered in the context of their work with other people on the ground, and all parties should be part of the necessary discussions on what further SFRS equipment could be helpful and complementary to local efforts.
I have already shared with Government the suggestion of one constituent that we need more data and strong evidence about land use and the vegetation that was on the ground at the time that a wildfire caught and spread. Knowing more about that reality—rather than different sectors pointing fingers at one another—would be invaluable.
Even my generous seven minutes is not long enough to cover all the points that have been raised by stakeholders reacting to today’s debate, but I look forward to hearing everyone else’s contributions.
The debate has attracted one of the largest volumes of correspondence that I have had about a members’ business debate. My excellent motion-drafting skills might have played a part in that, but I suspect that the bigger reason is the genuine and deep-rooted willingness of people on the ground—gamekeepers, non-governmental organisations, the public and lobby groups—to play their part in wildfire prevention and tackling incidents.
The Scottish Government has access to the wealth of knowledge, experience and volunteer willingness that exists out there, which it can grab hold of to tackle the increasing intensity and frequency of wildfires. I hope that it sincerely and enthusiastically makes use of that, and that the cross-party consensus that I hope we are about to hear results in real, concentrated action.
I advise members that there is an awful lot of interest in the debate. I am keen to ensure that everybody who has requested to speak has an opportunity to do so for the four minutes that they are entitled to. Members will need to stick to four minutes, even with the motion without notice to extend the debate that I confidently predict will be necessary.
12:58
It is refreshing to have a debate on a burning issue that truly matters to communities across Scotland rather than the recent focus on foreign policy and constitutional wrangling.
Puns aside, this is a very serious issue. The increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires in Scotland, including in my constituency of Galloway and West Dumfries, is deeply alarming. Wildfires are no longer rare events; they are a growing threat to people, property and our natural environment. I thank Emma Roddick for bringing this important debate to the chamber. The issue demands urgent action from the SNP Government—it should not be another issue that is kicked into the long grass.
Traditionally, the peak fire season in Dumfries and Galloway runs from early March for around 12 weeks, yet this year we saw 10 fire alerts between 13 January and 15 September. That is an unusually high figure compared with previous years, going back to 2012. The response to a freedom of information request revealed that Scotland has suffered 1,574 wildfires during the past decade. Alarmingly, the figures show that there were more wildfires during this year than in any other full year except 2017 and 2018. The figures, which are drawn from Scottish Fire and Rescue Service data, coincide with periods of historically high temperatures, as confirmed by weather forecasters’ records.
During the same period, Scotland has increased its tree cover, reduced grazing by sheep and deer and seen fewer hectares of upland under active management through prescribed burning. Those changes, which some believe are well intentioned, have undeniably contributed to the problem. The threat is not only to human life but to wildlife in our countryside, where the loss of tree cover has been dramatic.
Will the member take an intervention?
I am sorry, but I do not have time.
In early April, a major wildfire in Galloway forced the evacuation of people and properties. Emergency services, supported by helicopters, battled a blaze that stretched several miles wide at its peak. Amid the crisis, the response from volunteers and local organisations was nothing short of extraordinary. Galloway Mountain Rescue Team worked tirelessly around the clock, evacuating campers from danger zones, often in the dead of night. Using advanced thermal imaging tools such as drones, it provided critical intelligence to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and even co-ordinated rescue 199 from Prestwick in airlifting people to safety. The team’s efforts undoubtedly saved lives and prevented tragedy.
We must also commend the Glentrool Hive community volunteers, who provided food, shelter and welfare support to exhausted responders during the height of the emergency. Their support and resilience were a lifeline for those on the front lines. Local farmers and land-based businesses also stepped up to supply water bowsers, all-terrain vehicles and manpower to help to contain the fire. That collaboration between emergency services, rural businesses and volunteers demonstrates the very best of community spirit in the face of adversity.
Although public behaviour is a factor, the Scottish National Party Government cannot ignore its responsibility for ensuring that our communities are better prepared. That means listening to those with first-hand experience—the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service—rather than ignoring their warnings. Earlier this year, I called on the First Minister to listen and take action. Instead, he ignored my calls and blamed those who did not support his budget. That response was far from acceptable. Regrettably, the First Minister seems determined to press ahead with savage cuts that will close fire stations in many rural areas, cost jobs, inevitably increase response times and put lives at risk. The Fire Brigades Union has been clear that there must be no further cuts.
If the SNP Government is serious about protecting the public from wildfires and other emergencies, it must act now. That means proper funding of our fire service, listening to the expert advice and supporting voluntary and rural sectors.
Will the member give way?
No.
I once again put on record my heartfelt thanks to Galloway Mountain Rescue Team, the Glentrool Hive volunteers and the many local farmers and businesses who gave of their time to protect lives and livestock. I—
Thank you, Mr Carson. I call Emma Harper, who has up to four minutes.
13:02
I thank Emma Roddick for securing the debate. Her region was hit hard with the biggest wildfire this summer around Dava, which caused massive devastation in an area of great beauty and natural resource. Sadly, parts of my South Scotland region were also hit hard. April saw one of the biggest wildfires in living memory in Galloway, when 17,000 acres of moor and forest were destroyed around Glentrool in a fire lasting several days, the after-effects of which are still being seen in the community and will be seen for many years to come. That is nearly the entire surface area of Loch Lomond ablaze and alight, and now almost bereft of life.
Thankfully, as with other wildfires in Scotland, there were no fatalities or serious injuries, at least among human beings, but I am also concerned about the wildlife. It may only be a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or killed in a wildfire. At Glentrool, hikers were evacuated from hills by emergency services and campers were told to relocate to a place of safety. I fear that, at some point in the future, we will be reading reports of the death of someone who could not be reached in time and suffered a terrible fate. We must do all that we can to prevent that from becoming a reality.
We saw just how hard our emergency and response services worked. I again place on record my thanks to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the police and Galloway Mountain Rescue Team for their supreme dedication, work and bravery in helping to tackle the Glentrool fire. I also thank local people at the Glentrool Hive, who Finlay Carson mentioned. They worked incredibly hard, in a stressful, difficult and threatening situation, to support emergency responders. They threw open the doors of the Hive in the middle of the night and ensured that those tackling the fire could refuel and get some rest and necessary internet access.
Some years ago, there were issues with sky lanterns being launched and landing miles away, risking wildfire and damage to property and livestock. Thankfully, the use of those things seems to have died down but, in many ways, it is more disheartening that the wildfires that are now taking place are almost certainly caused in situ, and that those who are responsible, even if by accident, can see for themselves the landscape and environment that their actions might destroy.
I am proud that we have some of the best open access legislation in the world. In contrast to the hugely restrictive regime across the border, for example, we have a framework that allows people to enjoy our land freely and without unnecessary restrictions. However, we also have to face the fact that a small minority of people exercising those rights are doing so irresponsibly and putting locals, their livelihoods and their environment at huge risk.
We cannot say for certain what caused the Galloway wildfires. Finding a needle in a haystack is impossibly tricky when that haystack is 17,000 acres, but our Fire and Rescue Service is clear that most wildfires are started by human activity. That mean that we must educate anyone who is accessing our world-class countryside about the devastation that irresponsible use of those access rights can have on our communities.
Climate change is here, and we have to adjust our way of living and working to that reality. As Ms Roddick mentioned, there is a climate change mass rally at Dynamic Earth right now, which I hoped to be at.
One action to take must be to give the prevention of wildfires a higher priority across public policy. I hope that Emma Roddick’s debate and the contributions from members around the chamber will play a part in informing the Government’s thinking on how to, as far as possible, prevent these disasters from happening again.
13:06
For years, the Fire Brigades Union has been raising the alarm. The Scottish Government has been warned that there must be proper plans in place to deal with wildfires and the necessary resources to support them. The increase in wildfires is due to climate change and changes in heather moor management, and we need urgent climate action if we are to properly protect life and property from wildfires.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service needs significant investment. That means more firefighters better equipped and trained, along with better planning, research and co-ordination. The head of the service, instead of fighting for proper investment for the service, has presided over, and in some cases, recommended, unprecedented cuts to front-line resources. Understaffing has been so bad throughout the last period of wildfires that nearly all fire and rescue services in the most severely affected areas had to call up off-duty firefighters and ask them to work extra shifts. Fire engines sat in stations because there were not enough people to crew them in such circumstances. Fire Brigades Union members have worked to exhaustion.
I have lodged a series of parliamentary questions seeking information on the current state of the service in the Highlands and Islands. I was alarmed to learn that, of the 125 on-call fire stations, there are only 10 with a full team—that is less than 10 per cent. In more rural areas of my constituency, that is exacerbated by many volunteers not working locally during the day, reducing the cover even further.
I had confirmed that the SFRS has lost more than 1,200 firefighters since the SNP came to power in 2007. It is currently operating with a 29 per cent vacancy rate, so it is no wonder that the service is under so much pressure. Firefighters are asked to place themselves at risk without the necessary kit, and they are expected to work on hillsides with the same gear that they use to enter burning buildings. The physical stress puts this workforce at extreme risk.
Since the creation of the SFRS on 1 April 2013, the service has suffered tens of millions of pounds’ worth of real-term cuts. The plain facts are that, since 2012-13, the year before it was created, to 2023-24, there has been a reduction of more than 1,250 firefighters in Scotland—the total workforce has reduced by more than a sixth in that time. Of the 1,250 jobs lost, 729 were whole-time firefighters and a further 368 were retained operational firefighters. Those are direct cuts to front-line services.
The £332.1 million resource budget for the SFRS in 2025-26 equates to a £56 million real-terms cut in the 12-year period since the service was formed. Sustained underinvestment is creating problems, with an £800 million capital backlog. We must be grateful to the gamekeepers and others who have come to the aid of the service, but we should not have to depend on the general public to prop it up.
13:10
On 28 June, several wildfires raged, covering an area that included Dava, Lochindorb and Carrbridge, which are all in my constituency. That was the largest wildfire that has been recorded in Scotland’s history and it covered an area of around 40 square miles, which is half the size of the city of Edinburgh. A wildfire that occurred in Caithness in the flow country a couple of years ago was estimated to have produced 700,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. That was half the area of the fire on 28 June, so it can safely be assumed that its carbon emissions were well over 1 million tonnes. To put that into perspective, the reduction in carbon that was achieved in Scotland for 2022-23 was 0.9 million tonnes in total. The fire created more of a problem for the environment than all our efforts to reduce carbon for a whole year in Scotland.
I do not know why the Scottish Government has not said that, nor do I know why residents in Dava, some of whom I have spoken to, had no information or advice whatsoever about whether they should evacuate their homes as fires approached them from both sides. The lady who I spoke to does not want her name to be identified or to speak out. She had an elderly neighbour of 82 years old; they received no help—their families had to help them—and no advice, even though they asked for it. People were nice, but they could not say anything. No one from the headquarters down the road in Grantown-on-Spey went to see them. The day after the fire began, I asked ministers whether they would hold a Scottish Government resilience room meeting. They should have, but they did not—why not?
Will the member take an intervention?
I am sorry, but I have only four minutes. I am happy to discuss it at a meeting. As the minister knows, I normally take interventions.
There are a huge number of things that we have to do, but a plethora of public bodies are involved, including the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, CNPA, NatureScot and Forestry and Land Scotland—which, apparently, does not allow its employees to tackle fires on their own property, which is absurd. As so many public bodies are involved, I think that an independent review is required; otherwise, I am afraid to say, bodies will just mark their own homework. Although lots of them do good things, as some members have said, collectively, they have no plan.
I raised the issue during general question time today, but in some areas, such as Glenmore from Aviemore to Cairngorm, or Drymen to Rowardennan from Ben Lomond, there is only one road in and one road out. I have lived in both areas, so I know that they get 3,000 visitors a day. If there is a fire, people will go back to where they came from and will die in their cars from smoke inhalation. People do not die because of fires; they die because of panic and smoke inhalation.
There is no plan at all. I have not got time to go through them all, but there are lots of things that we require, such as aerial cover, more training, and plans that should be implemented by individual estates. Essentially, there is no public rural wildfire service in Scotland—it is run by landowners. Goodness me, the fire service contributes, but it works limited hours: I believe that its employees do not work in the evening, or on moorland. It is up to the keepers, who are under attack from legislation that is so pernicious that it is trying to get rid of field sports altogether. Without keepers and controlled muirburn, we ain’t seen nothing yet for wildfires in Scotland. I hope that the Scottish Government will get a close grip on the issue, which is the most immediate threat to rural Scotland.
13:14
I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests, which states that I am involved in a family farming partnership in Moray.
I thank Emma Roddick for bringing this debate to the chamber. If it has done nothing else, it has held the minister’s feet to the fire with regard to a response to a request that I made on 8 August for him to meet my constituents, Mr Ewing’s constituents and other constituents in the region to discuss the issue. I found out today that he was unable to attend because he had accepted a subsequent request that was made by another MSP. That is not good enough, and I will make a complaint through the correct channels.
I have some experience of wildfires, having fought plenty of them in my time. They happen in remote areas, and it is really difficult to fight them. In many cases, specialist vehicles are required to get to them. That is what the fire brigade needs, and keepers and estates often supply such vehicles. I also reiterate the point that Mr Ewing has made, which is that wildfires are often best fought at night, when the wind is low and there is a heavy dew. However, that is the time when some parts of the fire service are unable to attend, which means that it is certainly the time when keepers go out and fight those fires. I remember one in Tongue that we fought for five days, successfully putting it out at 4 o’clock in the morning, having fought it every day and night during that period, taking only two hours off to rest.
Neighbours can provide specialist knowledge in such situations. I want to make the example personal by drawing attention to one contractor, Stephen Shand, who did not work on the estate but dropped everything to move his equipment up to where the fire was and start fighting it. He had no indication that he was going to get paid for it; he did not worry about that. He was trying to fight the fire because it was on a neighbour’s land. We rely on such effort, and it is really important. The Parliament should acknowledge the effort that people make.
Fuel load is a critical issue. It is difficult to manage the fuel load in areas with wind farms—which we are getting more and more of across Scotland—and there is a particular difficulty in managing fuel load in relation to the peatland grant schemes. This Parliament, which believes that it knows better than the people on the ground, has dictated how muirburn and the management of moorland should be carried out. I am afraid that, after nearly 30 years of experience of doing that, I find some of the decisions that the Parliament has made to be completely bizarre.
I am short of time, but we need to consider what we do with regard to woodland grant schemes. When I was driving across the Dava moor the other day, by Lochindorb, I noticed all the trees that had been burned. They were all part of a woodland grant scheme and will all have to be replaced. Who will bear the cost of that? Why should it be the landowner? They did not start the fire, and there was nothing that they could do. No one will be able to attribute the cost or the blame to any individual, so it needs to be dealt with through insurance. We need to make sure that, when the Government draws up woodland grant schemes and peatland restoration schemes, insurance forms part of the proposal.
I also point out that retained crews across the Highlands lack the necessary equipment. Some of the retained crews do not even have showers at their stations, so they can be fighting fires all day and not even be able to get a shower before they go home.
Finally, I want to say that we need more assets. The Government has to draw together assets such as Argocats and the associated systems. It needs to have the ability to call on helicopters, and I strongly believe that, given the prevalence of wildfires across the UK, an aircraft that is capable of bombing fires with water should be available to both Governments. I urge the Scottish Government to liaise on that issue.
13:18
For years, I have travelled across the Dava moor, making my way to the Cairngorms, Kingussie and onwards to the south and west, but nothing prepared me for the devastation that I encountered when I came over the brow of the hill on the moor this summer. Everywhere I looked, the land was black and charred. As I drove, it went on and on, with trees burned and whole hillsides ravaged by wildfire.
Earlier this summer, from the top of Cùl Mòr, I watched the fire on the side of Stac Pollaidh unfold in great yellow smoke clouds. In the aftermath of the Cannich wildfires, I met people who were on the ground at the time to understand the extent and impact of the event. I followed that up with visits to Inverness fire station to discuss the challenges that our fire and rescue teams face and what resources they need. I am also working with constituents who were traumatised by the lack of communication when the fires came close to their homes this summer.
Wildfires are no longer rare, and I am grateful that Emma Roddick has brought this issue to the chamber. Their frequency and intensity are increasing, driven by climate change, human activity and land management, and the Highlands are especially vulnerable, due to extensive peatlands, open moorland and remoteness.
Communities, living landscapes and emergency services are bearing the brunt. The environmental costs are staggering. Peatlands that should be locking in carbon instead go up in smoke, releasing vast amounts of greenhouse gases. One fire in the flow country released 700,000 tonnes of CO2 in six days, doubling Scotland’s emissions for that period. Fire strips hillsides bare, destroys habitats and undermines our climate targets.
Healthy ecosystems are our greatest defence. Rewetted peatlands and restored native woodlands are far more fire resistant than degraded moorland that is dominated by heather, and healthy soils hold more water, too, slowing the spread of flames. Where natural processes are restored, resilience increases; in North America, wetlands created by beavers have acted as natural firebreaks.
We must be honest about land management—
Will the member give way?
I do not have time.
Muirburn is often claimed as a prevention tool, but evidence shows that it is frequently the cause of wildfires getting out of control. We should not conflate muirburn with other fire management techniques, such as creating firebreaks or tactical burning during an emergency, which are very different in practice and risk. If we are serious about prevention, we must confront the reality that large-scale burning of moorland is adding to, not reducing, the danger.
The issue connects directly to climate change. As our summers become hotter and drier, the risks multiply, and that makes it urgent for us to properly investigate and publicly report the causes of every wildfire. We need to learn, adapt and prevent repeat incidents.
Prevention is also about behaviour. Disposable barbecues are a known risk. Indeed, a constituent of mine told me of flames coming from a bin in a forestry car park; inside were three still-smouldering disposable barbecues. It was a fire waiting to happen, and it is time that we considered banning disposable barbecues altogether.
Meanwhile, rural fire crews—often on-call volunteers—are stretched to their limits. Communities step up, but they cannot be the last line of defence; we need a national strategy that joins up land use, climate action, biodiversity restoration and emergency response.
Let us not forget the public. Expanding the reach of the Scottish outdoor access code, increasing the number of countryside rangers and ensuring that people understand their responsibilities outdoors are all essential. This is not only about how we respond to fires once they are raging but about how we build landscapes and communities that are resilient in the first place—
Thank you.
It is time that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service—
Thank you. I call Ben Macpherson, to be followed by Tim Eagle. You have up to four minutes, Mr Macpherson.
13:22
Tackling climate change internationally is something that I am passionate about, like many others, but I have been passionate about it since way before that became a common view.
This is a global challenge. Although we need to think global and act local, we have to accept the reality: in terms of the numbers, we in Scotland have very little ability to tackle climate change at an international level. We are a small contributor to emissions, and given past emissions, and what other countries are emitting at present, our ability as a small country to affect climate change internationally is small, too. Yes, we should play our part; yes, we should do our bit; and yes, new technologies that we are leading on can make an impact beyond our shores, but our ability to effect the cessation of or reduce global climate change is limited. We have to accept that fact, unfortunately.
No matter what we do, it is likely that, as we have seen in recent years, climate change will happen to us, because of the international situation. Therefore, although we should raise our voices to urge for more action internationally, we also need to think much more about adaptation and mitigation. We saw a shift in resources and focus towards that in the previous budget, which I welcomed; and we also saw investment in net zero, which has other benefits. As well as reducing emissions, that creates warmer homes, more breathable air and so on, as well as facilitating greater use and development of renewable energy. All those things are worth doing, but we need to think more in the long term about adaptation and mitigation, in relation to flooding as well as wildfires. That is why the debate is important.
The devastating impact of wildfires has been seen this summer. We are all afraid—and should be acting on the proposition—that wildfires are likely to happen more often as we see warmer and warmer weather. The motion understandably focuses on the Highlands, but wildfires have also affected us here in the capital city at Arthur’s Seat, which is very close to where we are now. They are happening more and more.
We need action on prevention, education and minimising the risk of such fires, but we also need to have adequate resource to respond. That is why the capacity of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service matters so much. The service delivery review that is taking place is important, as we need to think strategically and effectively about how resources are allocated. However, as a local MSP, I am concerned about the proposal to close Marionville fire station. It is one of the closest fire stations to Arthur’s Seat and it is in a growing city where the risk is growing.
As a society and a democracy, we, and the Government, need to think about long-term capacity building, not capacity reduction, and certainly not here in our growing capital city.
I am conscious of the number of members who still want to participate in the debate, so I am minded to accept a motion without notice, under rule 8.14.3 of standing orders, to extend the debate by up to 30 minutes. I invite Emma Roddick to move such a motion.
Motion moved,
That, under rule 8.14.3, the debate be extended by up to 30 minutes.—[Emma Roddick]
Motion agreed to.
13:26
I congratulate Emma Roddick for bringing this much-needed debate to the Parliament. We have spoken about this topic separately.
I echo the points that have come from around the chamber. There is clearly anger and frustration about some of the fires that are happening across Scotland. I think, if I am right, that there is a consensus on and cross-party support for the need for action. I would be happy to join any meeting or round table that we could have with the minister to discuss what that action could be. I mean that in a positive way—I can see that the minister does not think so, but I genuinely do mean that in a positive way.
In recent years, Scotland has witnessed a deeply concerning trend. The number and intensity of wildfires across our country is growing. Such fires are not isolated incidents; they are becoming more frequent, more destructive and more dangerous for our people, our land and our wildlife.
I have put some of that into numbers. Although wildfire figures vary year to year, the upward trend is stark. Between 2024 and the first half of 2025, the number of recorded wildfires more than tripled, from 55 in all of 2024 to 187 in just the first six months of this year. That is already higher than any annual figure since 2017. We can safely assume that the total figure for 2025 will rise further, because the data does not yet include the peak summer months of July and August. To put that into perspective, the figure of 187 wildfires that have already been recorded in 2025 is close to double the total for 2015, when 111 wildfires were recorded. The direction of travel is undeniable: the number of wildfires in Scotland is rising.
The Highlands remain the most severely affected region by a large margin. Over the past decade, 574 wildfires have been recorded. This is a Highland issue—it is important to say that—but it is also a national issue with consequences for all of Scotland.
The problem is clear in Moray, too. This year alone, multiple incidents have underlined the urgency with which action is required. Moray Council, in a decision led by councillors Kathleen Robertson and Derek Ross, became the first council to take action in Scotland, agreeing a motion in August that recognised the devastation that has been caused by wildfires in the summer of 2025. The council committed to hold a wildfire summit, to consider new byelaws and to seek funding for wildfires from both Governments, just as other climate-driven challenges such as flooding and coastal erosion are already funded.
In recognising this trend, I also, as my colleagues have done, recognise those who stand on the front line. I pay huge tribute to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service for its professionalism and bravery in the most challenging of circumstances. It deserves the thanks of the Parliament and the whole country.
Equally, much of the immediate response came not from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service but from those who are closest to the land: gamekeepers—including our young gamekeepers—farmers, estate staff and local volunteers. Scottish Land & Estates reported that 33 businesses, including 27 estates, provided vital assistance during the wildfires in late June alone. Private land managers deployed equipment worth an estimated £3.1 million to contain the flames. Those contributions were not optional; they were essential.
Wildfires put human lives in danger. They devastate habitats and wildlife. They damage farming, sporting estates and tourism, and they place immense strain on rural communities. I urge everyone to remember that caution is essential during dry weather. A cigarette, a barbecue or even a spark from machinery can cause untold damage. The evidence is clear, the trends are undeniable, and I ask the Government to seriously consider the threat that we face.
In my opinion, Scotland needs a dedicated wildfire response unit with specialist training, modern equipment and, crucially, aerial firefighting support. That is how we will protect our communities, our land and our future.
13:30
I thank Emma Roddick for bringing this very important issue to the chamber for debate. It is important to remember that wildfire risk exists across Scotland. Nowhere is immune, and that will only become more obvious as we experience more frequent extreme weather events. Aberdeen is already familiar with the problem, with the Gramps—Tullos Hill—going up in flames again this year, and almost all of Scotland was categorised as having a high risk of wildfires in the summer months.
A key difference when a fire takes hold in the city of Aberdeen, compared with one on Dava moor or elsewhere around the Highlands, is that there is peat in the Highlands, which can continue burning for days or, more often than not, weeks. Land managers and gamekeepers know that. They know where the peat is and they know how to deal with it. I spend a lot of time in Emma Roddick’s beautiful region, as well as in rural Aberdeenshire, and I have seen for myself the expertise that exists in people’s roles. Sadly, that expertise is often overlooked in a crisis, and that is to our detriment. However committed our fire brigade workers are, they will not know the ins and outs of what is happening with the ground where the most flammable vegetation is, and they will not know where the ground might be more resistant to catching, in the same way that someone who is out there every single day tending to it will.
I support Emma Roddick’s comments about ensuring that the SFRS has the correct equipment available, but I urge our vital emergency services personnel to consider the value of what land managers and gamekeepers have to offer in a crisis, too. From knowing where natural fire breaks have been placed to being intimately aware of the most effective access points for emergency vehicles, their input is not just nice to have, it is crucial for fast action and fire resilience. That expertise is crucial in fire prevention as well as for the response.
Knowledge of how to safely carry out muirburn and prevent the build-up of dry vegetation is knowledge that we cannot afford to lose. We hear a lot about muirburn in wildfire discussions. Carried out responsibly in accordance with the muirburn code, it can be very effective in preventing wildfires from taking hold. I recognise that the Government is having to balance a lot of very important concerns when it comes to muirburn licensing, but I hope that consideration will be given to the issue and to how best to support those carrying out muirburn in any reviews of our wildfire policy.
I welcome the cross-party nature of the debate and my colleagues’ calls for a collective effort to find a way forward for wildfire prevention and effective response, but that will be incomplete without direct engagement with Scotland’s gamekeepers—on-the-ground professionals whose knowledge can help us to build the resilience that we need in rural communities.
Wildfires are a relevant issue to everyone in this country, and nowhere is immune from the risk, as Aberdeen knows. The increased potential for wildfires in rural areas and their capacity for destroying livelihoods and natural environments that we in urban areas rely on—whether in a broad sense of offsetting our carbon emissions and supporting biodiversity, which our cities struggle to maintain, or closer to home in the sense of getting food into our shops and on to our tables—should concern us and should provoke action from us all.
13:24
I, too, congratulate Emma Roddick on securing the debate. I do not agree with every word in her motion, but I supported it because I wanted to make sure that there was cross-party support so that we could at least have the debate.
Over the summer, I wrote to my friend and colleague Finlay Carson, who is convener of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee, asking that a committee of the Parliament look at the issue, because it is of such great importance to both the Highlands and the rest of Scotland. What we witnessed in the early summer months was a horrific fire. I will not forget the scenes—or my kids’ reaction when the sky went extremely dark in the middle of the day. It was a terrifying experience for those of us who were many miles away, and I know how bad it was for the people who were right at the centre of it.
On the day of that fire, I wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, in her role of leading on resilience, asking her to activate the Scottish Government’s resilience room. She refused to do that, although she sent me helpful updates, which I appreciate. I do not understand why the biggest-ever wildfire in Scotland did not trigger the need for the Scottish Government’s resilience room to be launched and opened. I know that the minister wanted to intervene on Fergus Ewing on that; I will give way to him if he wants to make the point now, or he may do so in his closing remarks. The point is important.
Ben Macpherson mentioned the wildfire on Arthur’s Seat. That was serious. However, it got an immediate response from the First Minister, who was tweeting about it within minutes or hours. We got nothing from the First Minister of Scotland when the biggest-ever wildfire was affecting our communities in the north. I hope that the Government will reflect on that, because our words mean a lot and I was surprised that the Government was silent on the issue.
The ones who were not silent and who did not stand back were the firefighters, the gamekeepers, the farm labourers and the estate workers. I will be very clear: it was a horrendous wildfire that was threatening to get out of control. It was brought under control only because of the incredible efforts of those people, and because of mother nature—because we had one of the biggest rain storms that I can remember. The relief was palpable in Moray and the Highlands on that day. I had been worried that the wildfire would get out of control.
Does Mr Ross agree with a keeper who told me that, had it not been for muirburn that was carried out in past years on the Muckrach estate, the fire would have reached Grantown and people would have died?
Yes, I agree, because I, too, have heard that.
Over the summer, I met representatives and owners of Moray estates, which are probably some of the biggest to be affected by the fire. To see the scale of devastation over the work that they have put into that area for so long is, to be frank, heartbreaking. We were extremely lucky that no lives were lost, but we lost much work that had been done to develop our peatlands and woodlands over many years—perhaps 30 years. All of it was lost in those fires.
I want a better response from the Scottish Government. I agree with Edward Mountain’s point about assets. I was perhaps naive: I assumed that the Scottish Government and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service had assets such as helicopters that could come in and put water on the wildfires. I always assumed that those assets were Government or Fire and Rescue Service assets, but they were not. Those assets were used because estates spend a lot of money on insurance and can afford the use of those helicopters. If it was not for that, we would have been in an even worse state.
Finally, I will talk about something that is not a wildfire. We have been experiencing too many deliberate fires in Moray. In Lossiemouth, a spate of them have been worrying close to homes and individuals. One young person has now been arrested and charged. Since the Minister for Victims and Community Safety is here, I say that I want tougher punishments for people who wilfully set fires, because of the damage that they do.
I thank all members for their co-operation, which has allowed me to give all members an equal opportunity to participate in a heavily subscribed debate.
I call the minister to respond to the debate.
13:38
I thank Emma Roddick for bringing this extremely important members’ business debate to the chamber. I will touch on some of the points that she made.
The increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires in Scotland is not just a seasonal hazard but a stark warning to all of us. The fires are placing immense pressure on our rural communities and emergency services, devastating our landscapes, threatening our biodiversity and our rural livelihoods, and damaging critical infrastructure. All those points have been well made by colleagues across the parties.
Finlay Carson noted the excellent collaboration between farmers and keepers. He is absolutely correct that the fire would not have been brought under control without the sterling efforts of all the land managers and land workers who were there.
The member talked about cuts to the fire service, as did the Labour member—I am sorry, but her name has gone out of my head. I say to them that there were no cuts to service delivery. The service delivery review is not about cuts, and no decisions have been made. The SFRS has said that, if it had an unlimited budget, it would still be carrying out the review, so it is not talking about cuts.
Emma Harper mentioned sky lanterns. Unfortunately, they are becoming fashionable again, so I will add my voice to hers and ask people not to use them. Not only do they choke livestock; they have the potential to burn areas, which could then lead to wildfires.
I thank Fergus Ewing for his phone call on 29 June. The fire started on 28 June and Mr Ewing phoned me the next day. I greatly appreciate the fact that he did so. He asked me to activate SGoRR. It was not within my gift to do so at that time, but the cabinet secretary gave me clear guidance and understanding that that step was not needed, because local resilience groups had already been set up.
I immediately phoned Angela Constance, Richard Lochhead, the Deputy First Minister, National Farmers Union Scotland, Scottish Land & Estates and the Scottish Gamekeepers Association to find out what the position was from people who were on the ground dealing with the fire at that time.
I had a holiday in the three weeks leading to my visit to Dava moor.
Will the minister take an intervention?
No, I will not.
The week after I came back, I attended the game fair and spoke to young keepers to get their perception of what had actually happened. I then attended the site with the keepers who had been on the ground at the time and also with representatives of the Cairngorms National Park Authority and NatureScot, officials from SFRS and other locals. We went on to have other meetings, and I have since met people from the SGA, SLE, RSPB and the Cairngorms National Park Authority.
It was therefore an example of really cheap politics when Tim Eagle sat on the BBC and said that I was turning up for a photo op. If we are to have co-operation, that kind of childish politics really has to be taken out of the—
Will the minister take an intervention?
No. I will be taking no interventions from any of you.
And you are telling me I am cheap?
Mr Eagle.
What will be happening as we go forward? On 25 September, there will be a series of SFRS debriefs. The Scottish multi-agency resilience training and exercising unit will have a debrief on 1 October and the public sector will have one on 9 October. There will be a stakeholders’ meeting on 14 October, which will include me and the cabinet secretary.
Emma Roddick also talked about having byelaws to prevent people from using or buying barbecues. I get that idea, and it is something that we are looking at. Cairngorms national park has byelaws, approval of which sits with the minister. I absolutely accept that that idea should be looked at, but there are legal considerations that we have to take into account. That is one of the serious things that has to be done in government.
As far as the helicopters are concerned, I absolutely share people’s concerns that we were not able to call on helicopters right there and then. That is one of the areas that we will consider as we move forward.
Can I press the minister on the legal considerations? Could he lay out exactly what they are? There is conflicting information out there, and people have the right to be able to scrutinise those reasons and push for badly needed action.
We will get to all those points, including the one that Emma Roddick has just made, as we go through all the reviews that I have laid out for members today.
As far as the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s equipment is concerned, we have announced a £1.6 million funding package that will go towards providing the equipment that is needed—the fogging units, the all-terrain vehicles to get people there and the trailers to get those vehicles to the sites. Those things are in train—they are all part of the process that is going on at the moment. I make that point because we take every single bit of this issue very seriously. Wildfire is a danger and it is present—it is here right now—so we have to make sure that we have resilience measures in place.
Ariane Burgess talked about being able to address wildfires through landscape management. She is correct to a certain extent, but I point out that every single type of landscape in the area—no matter whether it was part of a managed moor, moorland, wetland or rewilded land—was burned through, because the wildfire could not be brought under control.
The one point that I will agree with Douglas Ross on is that, had it not been for the keepers who were on the ground—and a great big plowt of rain—the fire would not have been stopped when it was.
To go back to another of Fergus Ewing’s points, the local resilience group was set up and locals were contacted by it, as far as I am aware. If getting information to local people is an issue that we have to look at, I am absolutely prepared to take that to our future discussions.
I have laid out what the Government has done. To turn to the actions that we will take going forward, I am still working with organisations such as Scottish Land & Estates, the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, NFU Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to ensure that we get everything right. All those organisations will be in the room so that we can have such conversations. We will have those summits, and I am determined to rebuild our relationships with our keepers and land managers to ensure that we have co-operation.
I put on record my thanks to everyone concerned, including the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and everyone else who came out and helped to deal with the fires.
Thank you, minister. That concludes the debate. I thank members for their co-operation, which allowed the debate to be concluded with everyone having had the chance to participate and also allowed time for parliamentary staff to prepare the chamber for this afternoon’s business.
13:46 Meeting suspended.Air ais
Point of OrderAir adhart
Motion of Condolence