Cairngorms to ban barbecues and fires from this week amid wildfire risk

A new byelaw banning the use of fires and barbecues in the Cairngorms is set to come into force to curb the growing risk of wildfires.

The Cairngorms National Park is the first place in the UK to introduce a seasonal fire ban backed by an integrated wildfire management.

Scottish ministers approved the measure following an extensive consultation process, which showed that the “overwhelming majority” of residents and visitors were in favour of a fire management byelaw.

The ban will come into force from April 1 until September 30 each year. Those found breaking the byelaw face a fine of up to £500.

Last year saw Scotland’s largest wildfire on record near the northern boundary of the Cairngorms National Park.

Seasonal campfire ban to come into force in the Cairngorms Adobe Stock

In June and July, blazes raged across more than 11,800 hectares of moorland in Carrbridge and Dava, causing “catastrophic damage” to local wildlife.

The risk of wildfires is increasing in Scotland, with climate modelling indicating longer drought periods in the future.

In the Cairngorms, the stakes are particularly high, with the National Park home to around 18,000 residents, as well as 25% of the UK’s rare and endangered species and around half of Scotland’s ancient pinewoods. It also welcomes around two million visitors annually.

The ban comes a week after the first wildfire warning of 2026 was issued for the north and north-east of the country.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service issued 14 wildfire warnings last year, with the final one in October, which it said was well beyond the typical timeframe for heightened wildfire risk in Scotland.