A fire that burned for more than a month in the Cairngorms region of Scotland destroyed approximately 2,500 hectares of moorland and forest, equivalent to about 10 square miles. The blaze forced the evacuation of an entire village and produced smoke visible and detectable up to 60 miles away in Aberdeen. A week after firefighters departed, hot spots continued to emerge across the charred landscape, requiring ongoing suppression efforts.
The RSPB Scotland’s Abernethy nature reserve, which experienced the fire, is now implementing comprehensive land management modifications to reduce future wildfire vulnerability. The reserve’s management approach, focused on ecological restoration, has faced criticism from opponents who contend such practices increase fire risk, though the RSPB disputes this assertion. The organization has identified four primary areas for improvement: fire breaks, wetlands, heather management, and tree planting. Fire breaks are being widened to accommodate flames that can reach heights of six meters, with experts recommending breaks three times the flame height. Additionally, vegetation is being removed along forest trails to reduce fuel loads.
Wetland creation and peatland restoration are being prioritized as fire mitigation tools. The reserve plans to construct additional ponds and wet areas to serve as water sources for firefighting operations. Peatlands in good condition maintain high water tables and provide natural fire protection, a principle demonstrated during a 2019 fire near Melvich that caused only superficial damage to previously restored wetland areas. Scotland is targeting restoration of 400,000 hectares of peatland by 2040.
The Scottish government is advancing its licensing system for muirburn, the controlled burning of heather on moorland traditionally managed for grouse shooting. While sporting estates argue this practice reduces vegetation that fuels wildfires, the licensing requirement aims to make moorlands more environmentally sustainable. The RSPB, which does not practice muirburn, manages fuel loads through cattle grazing and mechanical cutting instead. Some estates are finding common ground between ecological restoration and fire prevention, with land managers increasingly focused on shared objectives rather than ideological divisions. Tree species composition is also being adjusted, with broadleaved varieties such as alder, birch, and aspen—which have higher moisture content—being introduced alongside existing Scots pines.
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