Highland MSP calls for stronger action on wildfire risk
Scottish Green MSP for the Highlands and Islands, Ariane Burgess, is urging stronger action to address the growing threat of wildfires in the the region and more widely across Scotland.
She has written to both the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs,Mairi Gougeon, and NatureScot chief executive Nick Halfhide.
Highlighting how the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) already provides clear guidance on fire use she is pressing for improved public communication of that existing guidance, especially during high-risk periods, as well as greater support for ranger services, including increased staffing in high-use areas to ensure a preventative, engage-and-educate approach.
She also calls for consistent messaging around fire risk, including addressing public concerns about the contrast between restrictions on small campfires and the continuation of large-scale muirburn.
She said: “Our natural environment is under increasing pressure from climate change and changing patterns of outdoor recreation.
“The guidance in SOAC is clear — fires must not be lit in high-risk conditions — but we need to do much more to ensure that message is heard and understood.
“That means better communication, more support for rangers, and consistent, credible enforcement where needed.”
She said she continues to work closely with local communities, land managers and environmental organisations to ensure Scotland’s access rights are protected while safeguarding the landscapes and wildlife that make them so valuable.