Scotland on Very High Wildfire Alert Through Monday
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- Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Wildlife Forum issued a 'very high' wildfire warning covering central Highlands, southern and eastern Scotland from Wednesday through next Monday.
- Fort William is forecast to reach 28°C on Wednesday, with dry conditions expected across central and western Scotland for the rest of the week — meeting the Met Office heatwave threshold of 25°C-plus for three consecutive days.
- Scotland's hottest day of 2025 so far was recorded at the end of June, when Threave in Dumfries and Galloway hit 31.2°C, prompting gritters to spread sand on roads to reflect heat off surfaces.
- Major incidents have already been declared in Conwy, north Wales, and Glossop, Derbyshire, with weekend wildfires also burning across Hampshire, Durham, West Sussex, East Sussex, Devon and Somerset.
- Kevin Dingwall, the SFRS wildfire tactical adviser, urged the public to avoid outdoor fires and barbecues in affected areas, warning: 'There is no such thing as a harmless fire.'
Why it matters: With firefighters across the UK already under 'extreme pressure' from simultaneous blazes and Scotland meeting heatwave criteria this week, any ignition — a discarded barbecue, a carelessly thrown cigarette — could rapidly escalate into a major incident in tinder-dry landscapes, threatening property, wildlife habitats, and stretching cross-border fire resources thin.
