Cannich Wildfire

The Cannich wildfire burned for two weeks, starting on 28 May 2023 in the Scottish Highlands, close to the village of Cannich in the Highland council area. No one died, but two firefighters were injured and airlifted to hospital on 30 May when their vehicle overturned at the site; they were both discharged the following day.

Events

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) were alerted of a large fire at 12:46 p.m. on 28 May 2023. On 31 May, a long plume of smoke from the fire was detected drifting towards Loch Ness from space by NASA. At its height, nine appliances were tackling the fire, as well as a helicopter to water bomb the affected area. A 'very high' wildfire warning covering much of Scotland, which had been in place since 26 May, was extended to 5 June.

The cause of the wildfire is unknown, but the SFRS had launched an investigation into its cause. They also said it had burned through a area of scrub and woodland, which would make it the largest wildfire in the UK's history. This number was later revised by the fire service to .

The fire caused lots of damage to the RSPB Corrimony nature reserve, destroying hundreds of native trees which were planted to regenerate habitats. The charity also said that many ground-nesting birds, including black grouse, had lost chicks or eggs because of the fire. Simon McLaughlin, who works at the reserve, said that fast-moving species such as spiders and lizards had survived, but others, including frogs, had been found dead. RSPB Scotland said it had still to fully assess the impact of the blaze on wildlife.

Amidst soaring forecasted temperatures, another 'very high' wildfire warning was declared by the SFRS from 7 to 10 June. In the announcement on 7 June, the fire service also said that the Cannich wildfire was still ongoing.

Other wildfires

By 11 June, another wildfire had broken out 30 miles away near Daviot. On 15 June a wildfire broke out in Dalshangan Forest near Carsphairn.

References

{{Weather events in the United Kingdom

2023 wildfires
2023 disasters in the United Kingdom
2023 fires in Europe
2023 in Scotland
2020s fires in the United Kingdom
21st century in Inverness
May 2023 events in the United Kingdom
June 2023 events in the United Kingdom
Fires in Scotland
Wildfires in the United Kingdom
History of the Scottish Highlands