Firefighters leave scene of Cairngorms wildfire after nearly five weeks

Firefighters have completed work to tackle the Cairngorms wildfire nearly five weeks after it began.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said crews left the scene on Monday and handed the final affected area around the RSPB Abernethy Nature Reserve over to the RSPB.

The wildfire in the Cairngorms National Park began near the Ryvoan Bothy, close to Aviemore, at around midday on July 15.

More than 500 firefighters have been deployed to fight the blaze since it began, which has devastated an estimated 25 square kilometres (9.65 square miles) of land.

A number of homes in the remote region were also evacuated in July because of the wildfire.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) left the scene the wildfire which affected areas of the Cairngorms National Park yesterday, August 17 (Scottish Fire and Rescue Service/PA)

Although crews have left the scene, SFRS deputy assistant chief officer William Pollard reminded members of the public that safety advice still remains in place.

“While SFRS has now left the scene, we would remind members of the public that large areas of ground within the Cairngorms National Park have undergone significant disruption due to firefighting operations and the creation of firebreaks,” he said.

“Businesses across the area are reopening and look forward to welcoming the return of visitors. However, some locations remain closed due to unsafe ground conditions. We urge people to avoid closed zones and avoid entering restricted areas.”

SFRS said significant disruption has occurred within parts of the Cairngorms National Park.

It warned that some locations may remain hazardous because of unstable ground conditions and the risk of falling trees.

An RSPB spokesperson said the latest announcement was an “important milestone”, but warned that it will still be a while until they could safely welcome visitors back to RSPB Abernethy.

“Our staff are still using fire-fighting equipment to extinguish widely scattered hotspots,” the spokesperson for RSPB said.

“In many parts of the reserve, including close to tracks, tree roots have been destroyed, so there is a risk of tree-fall which we need to make safe. We will also be using heavy machinery to undertake further work where firebreaks have been created.

“Until we can be certain that these areas are safe, we are asking that people follow all safety advice and signage and do not attempt to access the affected parts of the RSPB Abernethy nature reserve.”

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) has also urged visitors to Glenmore to observe the safety signage and barriers limiting public access to some parts of Glenmore Forest.

Mr Pollard added: “Please ensure your safety and the safety of others by following all signage and paying close attention to the advice provided by our partners.”