SCOTLAND’S firefighters have warned cuts to the service are dangerous as north-west Scotland faces an “extreme risk of wildfires” this weekend.

Britain’s largest recorded wildfire ripped through Cannich, near Loch Ness, almost a year ago to devastating effect, and now the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has urged vigilance on anyone visiting or living in the rural west Highlands over the weekend to be vigilant amid fears of a repeat.

SFRS Group Commander Niall MacLennan urged the public to “think twice before using anything involving a naked flame,” adding: “These fires can destroy livestock, farmland, wildlife, protected woodland and sites of special scientific interest, as well as the lives of people living and working in rural communities.

“These fires can also have a hugely negative impact on the environment and the release of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

“It is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments, and always follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.”

Two firefighters were injured fighting last year’s blazes and, as the risk of more fires returns, their union the FBU has warned that without a Scottish government cuts U-turn, the service cannot cope with the realities of climate change.

FBU executive member for Scotland Colin Brown told the Star: “FBU members know only too well about the rising number and scale of wildfires across Scotland.

“These fires by their very nature are resource intensive, often requiring tens, at times hundreds of firefighters over many days to extinguish, in turn leaving other areas with reduced fire cover. 

“The loss of more than 1,200 firefighter posts across Scotland in the last decade only adds to this pressure on already scarce resources. 

“The Scottish government must recognise that the service is ill-equipped to meet the challenges of the climate emergency.”