Cairngorms wildfire burns for third day across nearly four miles

Earlier this week the Met Office published a report on the UK’s climate; The report stated that weather conditions once considered extreme have become the “new normal”.

Scientists say the country’s climate is “on the move” as northern parts of Britain are now seeing warmer temperatures affecting only southern England.

Climate scientist Michael Byrne from the University of St Andrews told BBC’s Radio Scotland Breakfast that the fire broke out after Scotland’s first ‘megafire’, which destroyed a large area of ​​the moorland last year.

The fire at Dava Moor, near Grantown-on-Spey and Forres, started on June 28 and burned for four days. The fire is thought to have destroyed as much land as is burned in the UK in a year.

“What we are seeing on a global scale is increasingly burned areas linked to wildfires, bearing strong signatures of climate change,” he said.

“We see more rainfall in Scotland during the winter months and the milder temperatures are perfect conditions for growing lots of vegetation. When that vegetation dies, there are now more plants in a warming climate, so there’s more to burn.”

He said Scotland had warmed by more than a degree since pre-industrial times.

“This warmer air absorbs more moisture from dead vegetation, making that vegetation much more flammable.”

If you see a large fire outdoors, call 999 immediately. Provide location and other relevant information so fire crews can respond quickly.