After one of wettest Aprils in 188 years, now we get... WILDFIRES!
IT will have come as a surprise to those who have been enduring a soggy spring.
Just days into May, fire chiefs have put parts of Scotland on high alert for wildfires.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) warned of an ‘extreme risk’ of wildfires after temperatures soared above 20C (68F) over several days, turning the ground into a tinderbox. It comes after Scotland suffered its fourth wettest April in records going back to 1836.
The SFRS has urged people in the NorthWest to be cautious and avoid naked flames.
The warning came after fire crews battled a massive blaze near Connel in Argyll. Group commander Niall MacLennan said: ‘It is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments.’ Forecasters said temperatures are expected to drop across the West today and tomorrow, with some scattered showers. The Met Office’s Greg Dewhurst said: ‘There’s a lot of cloud and rain around, especially around the Central Belt and the Borders where it could be heavy and even thundery.
‘Any chance of sunshine will be around the Western Isles and the North-West Highlands. Then on Sunday and Monday it’ll be sunny spells and scattered showers.’
Meanwhile, those gearing up for a bank holiday getaway were warned by Network Rail that 487 planned engineering projects will be carried out between today and Monday. Some of the most significant disruption will be tomorrow, when no trains will run between Glasgow and England.