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A major incident has been declared by emergency services as they continue to tackle a wildfire which has been burning in the Cairngorms National Park for 10 days.
Some residents of the village of Nethy Bridge have been evacuated as a precaution.
But a local resident told the BBC the wildfire should have been declared a major incident sooner and communication from authorities had been “pretty poor”.
The Scottish government said a fire break had been established around Nethy Bridge overnight and new fire breaks were being constructed.
First Minister John Swinney, who held a meeting of the Scottish government’s resilience committee early on Saturday, said additional police and fire service resources were being deployed to assist with the evacuation.
He said that it was “essential people avoid the affected areas.”
Swinney continued: “The wind has changed direction overnight, which means the track of the fire has altered once again and the threat to Nethy Bridge has reduced, for the moment at least.
“Ground and helicopter resources are being focused on the current path of the fire and new fire breaks constructed.”
Smoke from the wildfire can now be seen 59 miles away in Aberdeen following a change in wind direction.
Image source, JasperImageThe Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said people living in properties north-west of Dorback Lodge at Lain Thatchan had been also been evacuated and advised people living in Tomintoul to keep windows and doors closed due to smoke.
Police Scotland said the major incident had been declared and the decision to evacuate residents taken came after evidence on Friday night suggested the fire was spreading towards Nethy Bridge.
A spokesperson added that residents were being directed to a dedicated respite centre at the Macdonald Aviemore Hotel and access roads into the village had been closed.
‘The horse has bolted’
Richard Eccles and his wife Patricia run a guest house in the village.
Eccles said on 22:00 on Friday night, police came to the door and gave them three options: stay, seek accommodation with family or friends elsewhere, or go to the emergency accommodation at the Macdonald hotel in Aviemore.
He said they decided to stay unless the fire got considerably closer, adding: “We’ve got a camper van and we’re all ready and set to go at a moment’s notice. If it gets smoky, we’ll go.”
A wedding was due to take place at Castle Roy, which is near the village, but Eccles said this has had to be cancelled as a result of the wildfire evacuations.
He said the Scottish government’s response had been “poor” and a major incident should have been declared earlier, with military assistance brought in to tackle the fire before it spread.
Eccles said: “It’s a bit like closing the stable door now that the horse has bolted.”
Local resident John McGlinchey said he felt disappointed that residents were “having to wait until the flames are almost on our doorstep and having to relocate at such notice”.
He said there is a major concern for mobilising the many elderly people in the village and those with disabilities.
With the “last-minute” evacuation call, a lot of people will also have to go out of pocket for accommodation because of a lack of contingency plans from the government, he added.
Get in touch
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MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Andrew Bowie, who is the Conservative shadow secretary of state for Scotland, said “increasing numbers of constituents” had been getting in touch to express concern.
In a letter, external to Scottish government minister Gillian Martin he claimed the SNP-led administration had “failed to treat the situation with the seriousness and attention that it deserves”.
He singled out the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s (SFRS) lack of direct access to helicopter support. Currently it calls in private companies with helicopters and specialist equipment when needed.
The SFRS has said the Cairngorms wildfire has been “appropriately resourced” from the start.
Image source, Ronan DuganMore than 100 firefighters have been tackling the blaze, which first broke out near Ryvoan Bothy, south of Nethy Bridge, last Wednesday.
It covered an area of about six sq km (2.3 sq miles) of heather and small trees at its height.
Eleven fire engines, wildlife units and a command support unit are still at the scene.
Firefighters said miles-long firebreaks had helped to contain the latest break-outs on Thursday night while drones were directing crews to hot spots.
Image source, JasperImageThe Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said the fire remained “dynamic and unpredictable”.
A spokesman said: “Changing wind strength and direction can cause flare-ups, reignition and the spread of smoke, with conditions continuing to evolve.
“Firefighters remain deployed to tackle the incident across a vast and complex landscape, supported by ongoing helicopter water-bombing operations,” the SFRS spokesman added.
The SFRS had previously said residents and businesses in the east area of Aviemore, as well as across parts of Aberdeenshire – including Inverurie, Banchory and Kintore and surrounding areas – and as far as Aberdeen city, may see or smell smoke on Friday and into the weekend.
They advised anyone affected to keep windows and doors closed.
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