Army help firefighters as huge wildfire destroys woodland

An area of trees and gorse the size of almost four football pitches was destroyed.

Army help firefighters as huge wildfire destroys woodland @InvergordonFire

Army personnel helped firefighters bring a large wildfire under control in the north of Scotland.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was called to the scene near Tain, in the Highlands, at 1.33pm on Thursday after reports of a blaze in the open.

Initially thought to cover an area of only 50m by 100m the fire ended up destroying an area of trees and gorse the size of almost four football pitches.

Appliances from Tain, Dornoch, Invergordon and Balintore attended alongside the wildfire unit, water carrier and all-terrain vehicle the Argocat from Inverness.

Fire within forestry frounds at the MOD Air Weapons Range near Tain.@InvergordonFire

The fire broke out on forestry land near the Ministry of Defence Air Weapons Range near Tain, where live ammunition and pyrotechnics were scheduled to be discharged between 9am and 12pm on Thursday.

A Fire Service spokesperson said army personnel had been supporting the firefight.

Firefighters used beaters, knapsacks and hose rail jets to tackle the blaze with three hectares of land being damaged.

The fire was finally extinguished just after 6pm, with crews leaving the area after dampening down the ground and the stop message was issued.

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