Wildfire warning as firefighters tackle blazes in Western Isles

Firefighters worked through the night to tackle a large wildfire in the Western Isles after warning of an "extreme risk" of similar fires.

The blaze on Benbecula was reported at 15:30 on Wednesday and extended across about 1km at its height.

It was extinguished by 04:20 but two firefighters remained on the scene near Balivanich in case it reignited.

It was one of several wildfires on the islands on the same day, with incidents reported on Skye, Harris and Bernera.

Estate workers helped to extinguish the fire on Benbecula.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said crews that tackled a blaze at Horsacleit on the Isle of Harris had been stood down after the alarm was raised at about 06:30 on Thursday.

Firefighters are still dealing with two ongoing wildfire incidents - one in North Uist and another in the Isle of Lewis.

SFRS said the fires had broken out in vegetation that had died off since last year and then been dried out by frost and low temperatures.

The fire service said the smallest spark could start a major blaze and that places across coastal and island areas of western Scotland were at risk of similar blazes.

The "extreme" warning remains in place until Friday and covers the Highlands, Western Isles, Argyll and Bute, Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway.

People in rural environments in these areas have been warned to exercise caution.

Area commander Bruce Farquharson said: "There may have been a lot of snow in the eastern and central areas of Scotland, but that is not the case in the western coastal areas and fuel conditions are very different.

"At this time of year, we typically have a large volume of dead, bone-dry vegetation left over - which essentially acts as a fuel for fire.

"As a result, there are currently vast areas of countryside all over the country that are tinder dry and vulnerable, this provides all of the ingredients for fire to take hold and spread.

"We are asking the public to exercise extreme caution and think twice before using anything involving a naked flame."

Police have asked people to avoid the scene of the wildfire on Benbecula because of smoke affecting driving conditions on a nearby road.

He said there were parallels with February 2018 during the "Beast from the East", when crews tackled a series of wildfires on Skye and Barra.

A spate of similar incidents could place the emergency services under "unnecessary pressure" as they work to support the effort to suppress the Covid pandemic, he added.

"We would always stress the importance of being vigilant in areas of countryside, but right now we are in a unique and testing period for all emergency services," he said.

"We will always do our utmost to protect our communities, and to save life and property from harm at all times - but we also need the public to help us.

"Human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting, so it is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments, and always follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code."