Wildfires warning as blazes triple in a year

Rethink call as Scots crews battle biggest outbreaks

- By Douglas Dickie

THE number of wildfires in Scotland has tripled in the past year, according to "alarming" new figures. And more than 1,500 have been recorded across the country in the past decade.

Data obtained by the Scottish Tories shows there have been 187 wildfires in 2025 so far, compared with 55 in the whole of 2024. It follows an exceptionally dry spring and several hot spells throughout the summer.

Some blazes have taken days to control, with Scottish Fire and Rescue forced to issue several warnings. There was a two-day blaze near Perth this month. In May, homes in Shotts, near Glasgow, were told to keep doors and windows shut due to smoke from a fire.