Wildfire in Bathgate after 'extreme risk' warning issued

Fire crews are tackling a wildfire, covering 40,000 square metres, in Bathgate.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said appliances were in attendance at the 200 x 200m blaze in a wooded area near the West Lothian town.

The service said it received the first call at 11:43. The fire is equivalent to around five-and-a-half football pitches in size.

An extreme risk warning for wildfires is currently in place across mainland Scotland.

A total of eight appliances are in attendance at the almost 10-acre blaze in Bathgate.

An SFRS spokesperson said: "It's a large area of trees alight."

Earlier the SFRS said dry, warm weather was increasing the chance of fires breaking out.

And it has asked people to be very careful with naked flames in the countryside.

Meanwhile, the latest Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) report shows that a lack of rain is causing water levels to fall in many rivers across the country.

Water scarcity is sweeping across Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders, up through the Firth of Forth and Firth of Tay and reaching all parts of Aberdeenshire.

Sepa said rivers around the Black Isle and Thurso were also affected.

The wildfire warning runs until Monday.

People are being asked to think of the consequences that fires sparked by cigarettes or barbeques can have on wildlife, agriculture and rural communities.

Last month a number of wildfires raged across the country and on Arran a fire destroyed 27,000 trees and killed hundreds of reptiles on Glen Rosa.