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How leaf blowers and jet washers are tackling wildfires

BBC Leaf blowers being demonstrated on controlled burning of moorland in AberdeenshireBBC
A large amount of firefighting equipment, like leaf blowers, is held on private estates

Leaf blowers, jet washers and all-terrain vehicles are among the new equipment being introduced to tackle wildfires in rural Scotland.

Firefighters have warned that moorland and forest blazes are now one of the biggest threats facing rural communities, with the north west Highlands seen as the area of greatest risk.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is spending £1.6m on new kit to tackle the problem.

It has bought smaller fire appliances which can be taken down country tracks and is investing in 4x4 vehicles with firefighting capabilities.

A helicopter demonstrates water bombing on a moorland in Aberdeenshire
Firefighters can direct helicopters from estates to drop a tonne of water to help extinguish fires

They will carry large leaf blowers, which separate the heat from the fuel, and jet washers, which spray a mist to penetrate the ground on peat moors.

All-terrain vehicles allow firefighters to operate closer to the fires and hopefully put them out more quickly.

Moorland fire management expert Michael Bruce, from Glen Tanar estate, predicts there will be longer fire seasons in Scotland with more intense and severe fires due to climate change.

He added: “In a Scottish context, it’s the severe fires, which could be peat fires, that we are most concerned about because they’re the ones which absorb huge amounts of resources.”

Michael Humphreys from Scottish Fire and Rescue Service stands in front of a small fire appliance in the Highlands
Wildfires lead Michael Humphreys says they are one of the biggest threats Scotland's firefighters face

Michael Humphreys is the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s local area commander for the Highlands and is the lead officer on wildfires.

He says that milder winters and dryer summers mean the land will contain more fuel to feed fires making them larger and longer lasting.

He said: "I would say this is one of the largest threats that rural communities face.

"The investment has been vital to face this challenge and without it, it would have been considerably more difficult to face this growing threat."

A ‘fogging’ machine being demonstrated attached to an all-terrain vehicle
Fogging, using high powered jet washers, can penetrate into the ground on peat moors

The SFRS has 61 fire stations across the Highlands. A review may result in new stations being created in some rural areas to improve response times to wildfires.

Some of those could house much smaller appliances than the traditional fire engines, which would allow firefighters to more easily access remote locations.

Delegates gather around an all-terrain vehicle carrying fire fighting equipment
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have invested in ten all-terrain fogging vehicles

Scotland has been playing host to an international conference on wildfires in Aberdeen, attended by experts from Spain, Portugal and Australia.

This included demonstrations of equipment, including the leaf blowers and jet washers, at the James Hutton Institute’s Glensaugh Farm near Laurencekirk.

There were also helicopters dropping up to a tonne of water at a time from huge buckets onto the hillside.

While the fire service in Scotland has no direct access to helicopters, estates can arrange for their use through insurance companies.

The technique is most effective when several aircraft are attacking the fire at the same time, although that can be expensive.