The call of the wild Flames of fury fanned as campfire ravages reserve
Scottish nature reserve hits out at wild campers who continually cause devastation by lighting fires. By
IT is an undeniably idyllic image: starry skies, the great outdoors and a steaming cup of coffee – or warming dram – sipped amid the rosy glow of a roaring campfire.
And for the wild campers who recently pitched their spot on Eilean Eachainn, one of the Loch Maree islands in Wester Ross, the readily available branches chopped from downed trees dotted around the site provided ideal fuel to get their fire going.
Indeed, so handy was the wood that they carefully stashed a supply of readycut branches close to their campfire spot on a cleared area overlooking the calm water – helpful for whoever came along next to get their own cosy fire going.
That, however, has triggered deep concern over the apparent lack of awareness among the rising number of wild campers who seem either ignorant of fire regulations on precious and ancient landscapes, or are simply too wrapped up in the idyllic image of campfire life to care.
Signs of the recent Eilean Eachainn campfires shocked those who last year watched in dismay as fire ripped through the pristine nature reserve, home to ancient pine woods and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Started by a campfire that had not been properly extinguished, it continued to burn in the peat soil long after the campers had packed up and left, eventually re-emerging 10 metres away.
Fanned by strong winds it took hold, creating a devastating wildfire which left several native pine trees up to four centuries old scorched, soil burned away, vegetation, heather and scrub destroyed and, eventually, trees toppled.
‘Surprise’
TO his dismay, when Ian Sargent, a nature reserve manager with NatureScot, recently returned to the island he discovered signs of further campfires. “Many of the trees in the burned area have now fallen over as the peat soil mostly burned away,” he said. “But to our surprise, this has led to people cutting away the branches for new campfires.
“Despite the obvious burned area, there have been two recent campfires in the area of the wildfire from last year.”
With estimates that 90 per cent of all wildfires are caused by human acts, concerns are now rising that with the escalating trend for exploring Scotland’s most precious landscapes, rising numbers of novice campers and Instagram-style images of cosy campfire meals, bushcraft and wilderness adventures will fuel the problem.
Already this spring the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has issued three separate wildfire warnings, including two last month advising of tinderbox conditions across large areas of the country, and attempting to advise members of the public to be aware of the dangers.
Yet wildfires still flared across the country. Recent weeks have seen a series of fires at Rhu in Argyll and Bute, a serious moorland fire near Gatehouse of Fleet in Dumfries and Galloway, and another nearby on hills near Terregles a fortnight ago.
Firefighters also tackled a serious wildfire near army barracks close to Fort George, Ardersier, a blaze on hills overlooking Oban, a large fire in the Kilpatrick Hills, and wildfires in North Uist, Benbecula, Skye, Harris and the Isle of Bernera – to name just a few.
In Cairngorms National Park, where release from lockdown last year saw a spate of campfire and disposable barbecue-related fires – including almost 30 fires on a single July night in the Loch Morlich area – additional park rangers have been employed to help encourage visitors adhere to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
‘Calling card’
AS well as the wildfire risk, there are concerns that charred ground caused by campfires leave a “calling card” for other campers to use the spot for fires, causing further damage to soil and turf.
Pete Crane, the CNPA’s head of visitor services said: “Our advice to people camping is follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and never light an open fire during prolonged dry periods or in areas such as forests, woods, farmland or on peaty ground which covers most of the
Many of the trees in the burned area have now fallen over as the peat soil mostly burned away
National Park.”
Along with the obvious risks, wildfires burn valuable carbon stores held in trees and peatland, releasing greenhouse gases back into the atmosphere. A wildfire which burned for six days in the Flow Country two years ago affected 22 square miles of blanket bog, releasing an estimated 700,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.
In the case of a massive fire at Culbin Forest last September, the damage will take generations to repair.
John Thomson, Forestry and Land Scotland’s east region manager, said: “Culbin is a ‘jewel in the crown’ site enjoyed by a great many people, both locals and visitors alike.
“If more people who profess to love Scotland’s forests were aware of the true extent of the damage done by fire there might be a greater willingness to avoid lighting campfires and using disposable barbecues.”