Cairngorms Fire Burns Into Day 13 as a Fourth Heatwave Looms
The wildfire in the Cairngorms burned into its thirteenth day, with firefighters reporting “welcome progress” but warning that a fourth heatwave forecast for this week could raise the risk of fresh blazes. The Ministry of Defence has offered helicopters and troops to support the effort. Temperatures are expected to climb towards 35C in the coming days.
A large firefighting operation continued in the national park after residents of Nethy Bridge were allowed home over the weekend, and the Scottish government signalled a review of its wildfire strategy. The approaching heatwave — the fourth of a summer that has already brought the driest spring on record — will keep pressure on water supplies and heighten the danger across tinder-dry uplands, where more than 23 million people remain under hosepipe bans. Health officials are expected to issue heat-health alerts. Watch the fire’s containment and the temperatures as the week warms.