As the Cairngorm wildfire faces heavy rain tomorrow, local MP and Shadowy Secretary of State for Scotland said:
Increasing numbers of constituents had been getting in touch to express concern. In a letter, external to Scottish government minister Gillian Martin he claimed the SNP-led administration had “failed to treat the situation with the seriousness and attention that it deserves”. He singled out the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s (SFRS) lack of direct access to helicopter support. Currently it calls in private companies with helicopters and specialist equipment when needed.
Do any of the UK’s fire service boards have their own helicopters?
No. UK fire and rescue services (and their governing boards/authorities) do not own or operate their own helicopters. They rely on contracted private commercial operators (such as Skyhook in Scotland), arrangements with bodies like Natural Resources Wales (which holds framework agreements for helicopter support with underslung water buckets), or occasional military/RAF assistance. This is especially true for wildfire response. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx25pgg440wo
Also, in the BBC Scotland report:
Richard Eccles and his wife Patricia run a guest house in the village. Eccles said on 22:00 on Friday night, police came to the door and gave them three options: stay, seek accommodation with family or friends elsewhere, or go to the emergency accommodation at the Macdonald hotel in Aviemore.
He said the Scottish government’s response had been “poor” and a major incident should have been declared earlier, with military assistance brought in to tackle the fire before it spread.
Can the Scottish Government call in the army for an emergency such as a wildfire?
No, the Scottish Government can request military assistance (including from the Army or other Armed Forces) for civil emergencies such as wildfires, via the established UK-wide Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) process. However, approval and deployment rest with the UK Government and Ministry of Defence (MOD), as defence is a reserved matter. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2015-to-2020-government-policy-military-aid-to-the-civil-authorities-for-activities-in-the-uk/2015-to-2020-government-policy-military-aid-to-the-civil-authorities-for-activities-in-the-uk
Why did the Scottish Government not request army assistance to put the fire out earlier?
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) repeatedly described the response as “appropriately resourced” from the outset, involving large numbers of firefighters, ‘hundreds’ mobilised in total, specialist wildfire units, all-terrain vehicles, high-volume pumps and volunteers/gamekeepers). Private contracted helicopters for water-bombing arrived after an initial delay of roughly 1–2 days due to availability.
Why would the Scottish Government think the Fire chiefs were wrong and local cafe-owner, Richard Eccles, knew better?
How many firefighters does Scotland have?
More than 6 000. https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/news/latest-fire-safety-and-organisational-statistics/
So, more than 6 000 with only hundreds mobilised suggests no panic call for the army was necessary.
So, two deliberate misunderstandings, one on helicopters and one on the army, left un-checked by reporters – unprofessional at best.
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I see Sandy McCook has been joined by a Mr John McGlinchey, an expert on wildfires. I assume he is an expert because the BBC quotes him at length complaining about the SFRS, the police and ultimately the Scottish government.
I do happen to know someone involved in wildfire planning but he has not heard of Mr McGlinchey. I trust the SFRS will make notes on how to respond to wildfires.
Cairngorm residents say wildfire response ‘too slow’ – BBC News
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