The Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) have announced funding for projects to help the voluntary fire-fighting teams on local estates to purchase much needed equipment for fighting wildfires. Teams of volunteers, including gamekeepers and estate workers, regularly support the work of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in helping to tackle wildfires across Scotland.

Scotland’s largest wildfire on record broke out in early July, burning through 29,225 acres (11,827 hectares) - nearly 30 times the size of Strathclyde Park in Lanarkshire. The fire raged for 11 days, with dozens of firefighters battling the flames alongside 101 workers (including almost 100 gamekeepers) from more than 30 rural businesses. Their combined efforts were crucial in finally bringing the blaze under control.

The CNPA awarded £370,000 from the 2024 Climate Adaption Fund to 18 farmers, land managers, businesses and community groups to address the challenges of climate change. Of this total:

• £19,000 was awarded to purchase a wildfire fogging unit to tackle wildfires – Alvie & Dalraddy Estates.
• £14,000 was awarded for wildfire management equipment and training for staff – National Trust for Scotland, Marr Lodge Estate.
• £6,000 was awarded to purchase a heather cutter to create firebreaks, helping with wildfire prevention– Phones Estate, Newtonmore.

It is encouraging to see the dedicated efforts of wildfire volunteers being recognised, along with the allocation of additional funding for vital firefighting equipment, however the Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA) has issued a stark warning, revealing that members of its youth committee are unwilling to risk their lives fighting wildfires unless the Scottish Government reconsiders its proposed licensing scheme and new code of practice for muirburn.

The association says the current plans are causing deep concern among young gamekeepers, who feel increasingly unsupported and undervalued in their frontline role managing Scotland’s rural landscapes. The youth committee are seeking a meeting with Ministers before these changes come into force on the 1 January 2026.

We share the SGA’s view that more must be done to achieve a licensing scheme and code of practice for muirburn that is workable and fit for purpose. The Scottish Government and NatureScot must reconsider their approach before it's too late — and lives are put at risk.