Latest wildfire reinforces importance of muirburn
Peter Clark
The latest devastating wildfire near Cannich in Inverness-shire highlights exactly why muirburn is vital in reducing large-scale wildfire spread, says Peter Clark.
Yesterday, 1 June, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) stated that the Cannich wildfire has ripped through a 30 square mile (80 sq km) area of scrub and woodland. Utterly devastating for biodiversity and habitat loss.
With long dry, warm and windy conditions, the incident has been extremely difficult for dozens of firefighters. Combine this with challenging terrain, it was concerning to learn that two firefighters were hurt at the scene of the blaze after their all-terrain vehicle overturned.
Reducing the fuel load
There is an inescapable fact that average summer temperatures are increasing due to climate change, therefore it is important now more than ever for land managers to have all the tools at their disposal to tackle the omnipresent threat of wildfire and to manage the vegetation fuel load.
Yet, when the tools are needed most, almost simultaneously, the Scottish Government is pushing the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill, which seeks to place further restrictions on, and the licensing of, muirburn.
Land managers need all the tools in the toolkit to keep fuel load down and tackle rank heather, which is the ideal fuel for a catastrophic wildfire. We know the Scottish Government is pressing for muirburn to be used only as the ‘last resort’ when other avenues have been exhausted. Yet cutting, through using a flail mower for example, leaves brash, which contributes further to the fuel load for a potential wildfire.
As a result of the Cannich wildfire, the RSPB has had to issue an emergency fundraising appeal, as the wildfire destroyed half of their Highland Corrimony nature reserve.
Prevention of damage
RSPB opposes the making of muirburn, with their views sitting in contrast to that of the SFRS and land managers. In their latest submission to the call for views on the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill, they made it clear that they are ‘highly sceptical of a need to burn for restoration and wildfire prevention’.
Through more rigorous planning for wildfire mitigation, enhanced training of staff on the ground and better investment in fire-fighting equipment, RSPB could have prevented a great deal of the damage caused by this week’s wildfire.
With wildfires increasing in intensity and frequency across Scotland, the UK and Europe, it is irrational for restrictions on muirburn to be pursued with great haste. There has to be a recognition, whether it be nature reserves or other areas of moorland, that are not managed by muirburn, potentially could have been saved from this devastating wildfire if the practice had been adopted.
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