FIREFIGHTERS are continuing to battle a mile-long blaze on the Isle of Skye, while a separate fire on the mainland had blocked railway tracks near Mallaig.
Crews were called to the fire in the Glendale area of Skye at 12.06pm on Tuesday, with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) confirming there are four engines in attendance.
Shortly afterwards, at 2.38pm, three fire engines were dispatched to a separate blaze in the Morar area, which had blocked tracks near Mallaig.
SFRS said at its peak, the fire on Skye had been 500 metres wide but that it had since been reduced to 300 metres.
In a post on social media, Network Rail Scotland (NRS) described the blaze as “substantial”.
“We’re dealing with a fire on the railway between Arisaig and Morar on the Fort William to Mallaig line,” the post read.
“The fire is substantial and blocking the tracks”.
In a subsequent post, NRS indicated the line had been cleared, and that engineers were inspecting the tracks for damage before the line could reopen and services could resume.
The line between Arisaig and Morar has since been reopened.
SFRS said they had been called to about 90 outdoor fires over the weekend, and a very high wildfire warning remains in place across Scotland until Wednesday April 9.
An extreme wildfire warning has then been issued for the south west, eastern, central and north of Scotland for Thursday April 10, with SFRS calling on the public to exercise caution in rural areas and to avoid lighting outdoor fires.
Deputy assistant chief officer Kenny Barbour said: “Wildfires have the potential to burn for days, as we’ve seen this week in Dumfries and Galloway, and they spread through vast areas of land in our countryside, which is devastating for those who live nearby.
“Our firefighters will continue to work with local landowners and other partners to bring these fires under control.
“As the warm and dry weather continues, so too does the risk of wildfire, and so we are asking the public to exercise extreme caution and think twice before using anything involving a naked flame.
“Responsible human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting, so it is crucial that people act safely in rural environments and always follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.”
