Two firefighters injured as wildfires continue near Cannich
SFRS say they have been airlifted to hospital
Last updated 30th May 2023
Two firefighters have been injured as crews continue to battle mass wildfires in the Highlands.
They were airlifted to hospital from Cannich at around 9am this morning, as firefighters have been tackling blazes in the area for several days.
This comes after the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said there was a "very high" risk of wildfires across many parts of the country.
Forestry Land and Scotland (FLS) say the cause of the fire has been associated with wild camping and are urging for caution.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service say a water bomb was used yesterday in an attempt to bring the fire under control.
A spokesperson said: "We were alerted at 12.46pm on Sunday, 28 May to reports of a fire in the open at a farm near Cannich, Beauly.
"Operations Control initially mobilised one fire appliance, increasing to nine appliances including specialist resources.
"At 5.37pm on Monday, 29 May a helicopter was brought in to water bomb the wildfire.
"As of Tuesday, 30 May we currently have five appliances on the scene, where firefighters are continuing to extinguish the fire and prevent further fire spread."
Posting to their Twitter, SFRS said: "Two firefighters have sustained injuries during the response to this incident and have been transported to hospital via air ambulance."
They have also warned nearby residents to close windows and doors due to smoke in the area with the local health board also issuing a similar plea.
The Scottish Ambulance Service confirmed two people were airlifted to hospital earlier this morning.
A spokesperson said: “We received a call at 09:03 to attend an incident near Cannich, south of Inverness.
"Multiple resources were dispatched to the scene and two patients were airlifted to hospital."
FLS North Region Manager, Alex MacLeod, is reminding the public to be aware of their surroundings.
He said: "Many people are enjoying being out in the countryside to enjoy the hot weather but the lack of rain recently has made much of the countryside tinder-box dry.
"Camping stoves are clearly recommended as being a better option than campfires but when the weather has been as hot as it has, and the ground is as dry as it is, neither are advisable.
"Regardless of how it started, this particular incident is a sobering reminder of how easily and quickly a wildfire can take hold and become a major problem.
"Visitors need to be aware of their surroundings and their actions, take extra precautions and extreme care.
"Dealing with incidents like this places unnecessary pressure on the emergency services, puts people’s safety at risk, and destroys habitat – which causes extreme distress to the wildlife that was here.
"It’s difficult to say what the extent of the damage is but we know it affects a significant area."