Firefighters spend second day battling Perth wildfire as heatwave continues

Firefighters are spending a second day tackling a wildfire near Perth, amid a heatwave that has seen an “extreme” wildfire warning issued for much of Scotland.

Emergency services were alerted to the blaze near the M90, in the Craigend area of Perth, at 2.17pm on Friday (July 11).

Six fire appliances and a specialist wildfire unit were deployed to the scene with police closing the road between Aberdalgie and Craigend.

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) spokesperson said on Saturday that fire crews were still at the scene, where they are working to “make the area safe”.

The blaze comes amid a heatwave that has seen an “extreme” wildfire warning in force for much of the country, and the SFRS has asked people to avoid using anything involving a naked flame, such as campfires or barbecues.

Fire crews battle wildfire for a second day near Perth Craigrossie Printing

Temperatures will hit the high 20s in parts of Scotland during Saturday and Sunday.

The hot, dry weather comes as the TRNSMT music festival continues through the weekend, with thousands of music fans gathering on Glasgow Green.

Central and eastern parts of Scotland are under a warning of an “extreme” danger of wildfires from Friday through to Monday, and the rest of the country covered from Saturday through to Monday.

SFRS group commander Raymond King earlier asked people to exercise “extreme caution” and to “think twice” before doing anything involving a naked flame.

He said: “Many rural and remote communities are hugely impacted by wildfires, which can cause significant damage.

“Livestock, farmland, wildlife, protected woodland and sites of special scientific interest can all be devastated by these fires – as can the lives of people living and working in rural communities.

“These fires can also have a hugely negative impact on the environment, and the release of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.”

Earlier in July, parts of the north of Scotland were hit by wildfires on a “vast scale” which burned for several days, prompting a police investigation.

The Met Office has said the current heatwave will last longer than the one experienced earlier this summer, and will cover a larger part of Scotland.

Ahead of TRNSMT in Glasgow, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde urged music fans to stay safe by ensuring they are protected from the sun and stay hydrated.

Dr Emilia Crichton, director of public health, said: “This weekend is looking like a great time to get outside for warmer weather.

“No matter what you’re doing, please enjoy the good weather safely by protecting yourself when in the sun, staying hydrated, and having common medicines to hand.

“We know tens of thousands of people will be heading to TRNSMT and we hope everyone has a fantastic time.

“We ask festival-goers to look after themselves and others so everyone can enjoy the event safely.”