Nairn wildfire which burned for over a week caused by 'natural occurrence'

A wildfire, which destroyed two hectares of land, was likely caused by a “natural occurrence”, a report has said.

Firefighters were first alerted to the blaze in the open near Loch Allan, north of Dava in the Strathspey area, on June 28 last year.

Efforts to contain the incident continued for over a week, with 37 pumps sent to the scene, along with water tankers and specialist off-road vehicles.

A report by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service into the incident outlines that the cause of the fire and the source of the ignition remain unknown, with “natural occurrence” cited as the main reason.

After igniting among the vegetation, the fire spread rapidly due to strong winds.

No injuries were reported, but two hectares of land were damaged as a result.

Police issued an appeal for people seen with deck chairs and fishing rods in the area around the time the fire broke out.

It was previously reported how wildfires across the Highlands and Moray ravaged an area the size of 10,500 football pitches.

The incidents in locations from Nairn to Knockando also killed thousands of animals.