Wildfires: strategic action plan

Strategic Action Plan

The strategic action plan contains a range of measures and activities that fall under three main pillars:

• Prevention of wildfires
• Preparedness for dealing with wildfires
• Responding to wildfires

1. Prevention of wildfires

Preventing wildfires is the most effective and least costly way to protect communities, businesses, nature, property and infrastructure from wildfire events. As human activity is responsible for the majority of wildfire ignitions, for example due to unattended camp fires, equipment sparks, uncontrolled muirburn and debris burning, it is important to develop greater public awareness of the conditions and causes of wildfire and the devastating consequences that wildfires can have on human health, the environment, local communities and the economy.

Public awareness

Raising public awareness can help to ensure that those engaging with and enjoying the outdoors are better informed about how to act responsibly and stop wildfires from starting. The Scottish Government’s 2022 Fire and Rescue Framework^[7] sets out the requirement for the SFRS to undertake prevention and public awareness activity to enhance its response to the increased risk of wildfires and other natural hazards that are associated with climate change.

Scotland’s Outdoor Access Code^[8] states that land managers should work with local authorities to inform people about the risk of fires and it advises members of the public not to light a fire during times of high fire risk (prolonged dry periods) or in areas such as forests, woods, farmland, or on peaty ground or near to buildings or cultural heritage sites where damage can be easily caused. Local authorities and public bodies such as NatureScot, Visit Scotland and the National Park Authorities proactively promote the outdoor access code through signage, education and communications, including on how to camp and light fires responsibly.

Action 1: The SFRS will build on existing arrangements, working closely with local authorities, National Park Authorities, public bodies and land managers to ensure that clear and consistent public messaging on wildfire risk and danger assessment is conveyed in a timely, effective and coordinated way.

Action 2: Scottish Government will ensure that all local authorities, community councils, relevant public bodies, Members of the Scottish Parliament and relevant stakeholder organisations and media channels are made aware of this action plan when it is published to help raise awareness of the 2026 wildfire season (usually from March to September) and the actions being taken.

Wildfire danger assessments and alerts

Reliable wildfire danger assessments and timely alerts are essential tools for preventing damaging fire events and protecting people and nature. Fire danger assessments provide a model-based evaluation of how likely wildfires are to ignite, spread and intensify based on a range of factors including vegetation types and weather conditions. Early warning systems enable authorities to alert the public, assemble firefighting resources and take preventative measures.

When Scotland is at a high threat of wildfires, the SFRS work in partnership with the SWF to alert the public and partners to the threat of wildfires by issuing wildfire danger assessments. The SFRS issue alerts through their social media channels, their website and local media outlets, and request assistance from public authorities across Scotland to share safety messaging to seek engagement with as many members of public as possible. These warnings detail which areas across Scotland are most likely to be affected. The SFRS also alert the Scottish Government who pro-actively re-issue these warnings across digital and social media platforms.

Ensuring that a robust system is in place for the production of wildfire danger assessments and alerts is vital for the effective prevention of wildfires. Given the effects of a changing climate and any changes to land management and fuel load, it is also important that assessments are based on the best available data and evidence.

Action 3: Scottish Government, working with the SFRS and partner organisations, is scoping a project to increase the resilience and robustness of Scotland’s existing system of wildfire danger assessments and alerts.

Action 4: Over the longer term, Scottish Government and its partners will continue to scope and review options for further improvements to the wildfire danger assessment and alert system, including opportunities for alignment and improvement on a UK-wide basis.

Action 5: Scottish Government has secured a fellowship with Professor Rory Hadden from the University of Edinburgh’s Fire Research Centre to provide expert advice on the research and evidence requirements that will improve Scotland’s wildfire risk assessment and mapping. These research requirements will be considered when the Scottish Government is commissioning research within the next Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Strategic Research Programme 2027-32.

Fire prevention byelaws

In April 2026, new fire prevention byelaws will come into effect in Cairngorms National Park as part of the wider approach to wildfire management set out in the Cairngorms Integrated Wildfire Management Plan. These byelaws will mean that fires and barbecues will be banned in public places within the National Park between 1 April and 30 September every year unless there is lawful authority to do so (for example, carrying out muirburn under a licence). These byelaws aim to reduce the growing risk of wildfires and the dangers that wildfires pose to land, public enjoyment, public safety and natural heritage within the Park. The ban follows an extensive consultation process in the National Park which demonstrated that the majority of residents and visitors were in favour of fire management byelaws. In preparation for the byelaws coming into force, the Park authority and its partners are taking forward a range of measures including enhanced patrols at key sites, the development of a wildfire communications campaign, new signage and coordination across estates, public bodies, businesses and communities.

Action 6: The Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 is a landmark piece of legislation, passed by the Scottish Parliament in January 2026, which aims to protect and restore Scotland’s natural environment. Subject to Royal Assent, the legislation creates new tools for wildfire management, including provisions which ensure that local authorities have the ability to put in place fire prevention byelaws, similar to those in Cairngorms National Park, if they wish to do so as part of their local wildfire management strategies. The new legislation also enables Scottish Ministers to make regulations that would allow National Park authorities and local authorities to enforce these byelaws by issuing fixed penalty notices. Subject to local authorities making fire management byelaws and decisions by the next administration and parliamentary approval, a fixed penalty notice regime could be implemented in 2027.

Land management plans and practices

Having landscapes that are resilient to wildfire is an important prevention measure. Land management practices can help to mitigate against the risk and spread of wildfire, for example through muirburn, the creation of fire breaks and other methods of vegetation management.

The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 includes a requirement for owners of large land-holdings (over 1000 hectares) to engage with local communities on the development of a publicly accessible Land Management Plan.

Action 7: These Land Management Plans will need to set out a range of information, such as how landowners are complying or intend to comply with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC), including with regard to wildfire management. Implementation of Land Management Plans, including the detail of prescribed content, require consultation and secondary legislation in the next Parliamentary term, which is subject to agreement with the incoming government.

Action 8: SWF members will also consider ways in which wildfire management can be promoted amongst owners of smaller land-holdings, for example through training events and conferences.

Muirburn is the intentional and controlled burning of moorland vegetation, predominantly to encourage new growth (either heather or grassland) for the management of habitats for moorland game and wildfire or for improving the grazing potential of vegetation for livestock. Muirburn can also be used to reduce the amount of vegetation acting as a fuel load for wildfires and it can be used to implement firebreaks into the landscape. Muirburn can therefore make a significant contribution both to preventing and reducing the risk of wildfires. In addition, the gamekeepers and shepherds who undertake muirburn have a crucial role to play in tackling wildfires where their knowledge, skills, expertise and equipment can be invaluable in bringing outbreaks of wildfire quickly under control.

The Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 was passed by the Scottish Parliament in March 2024. The Act includes a range of measures including increased regulation of muirburn through a licensing scheme and training requirements. These regulatory and training requirements should help to reduce the risk of muirburn turning into wildfire.

The Act limits the number of purposes under which muirburn can occur on peatlands with a depth of 40cm and above. Although this reduces the risk to peatlands from muirburn, it may increase the risk of wildfires due to increased fuel load.

In October 2025, Scottish Ministers announced that implementation of the muirburn licence scheme would not come into force until Autumn 2026. This decision was taken in the aftermath of the 2025 wildfires to provide more time to carefully consider how licensing can be implemented in a way which does not adversely affect our ability to prevent and respond to wildfires.

Action 9: amendments to the muirburn licensing scheme were included in the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 (subject to Royal Assent being granted). The amendments will remove the requirement for “no other method of vegetation control being available” before a licence to undertake muirburn on peatland can be granted. They also make clear when muirburn can be undertaken outside of the closed season and they include specific purposes for undertaking muirburn for training. Following these changes, the Scottish Government intends to implement the licensing scheme in Autumn 2026, subject to agreement with the incoming government. The Scottish Government intends to monitor implementation and will continue to ensure the evolving science on muirburn and its effect on peatland and wildfires is considered as part of the licensing scheme.

2. Preparedness for dealing with wildfires

Preparedness is essential for effectively dealing with wildfires because it reduces risk, protects lives, and strengthens a community’s ability to respond quickly when conditions escalate. Preparedness also supports faster containment of wildfires by allowing firefighters and land managers to deploy resources efficiently, ultimately minimizing damage to ecosystems and property, and ensuring public safety.

Preparedness is a key element of the SFRS’s wildfire strategy, which considers the increased risk of wildfire and changing climate in Scotland; the latest developments in wildfire management, training, and operational procedures; and the advances in technology that have been made in Personal Protective Equipment and other assets.

The Service continues to ensure that personnel are equipped and trained to deal with these emergency risks and that the Service’s delivery model has sufficient resilience and flexibility to support wildfire incidents occurring over extended geographies and timescales. A wildfire steering group has been established with key work packages for asset management, training, communications and service delivery. A significant amount of preparedness work has also been undertaken by partners within the SWF, the Moorland Forum and as part of the Scottish Government Visitor Management Strategy.

Action 10: In response to the 2025 wildfire season, the SFRS has reviewed and invested in equipment, vehicles and training to strengthen its response to wildfires, particularly in rural areas. These include a tactical burnback team, four new wildfire support units with enhanced equipment and two new interim wildfire units in Lockerbie and Thurso.

Action 11: The SFRS will work with the Scottish multi-agency resilience training and exercising unit to develop national table-top exercises and improve collaborative preparedness across all agencies. Through the regular testing and exercising of response plans it will help improve readiness.

Action 12: Being influenced by the 2025 wildfire season, the SFRS has reviewed the Community Asset Register and is in the process of promoting it more widely, in conjunction with Scottish Land and Estates, as well as enhancing its visibility and usability in order to expand the number of volunteers and assets.

Action 13: In response to the 2025 wildfire season, the governance and accountability arrangements for dealing with wildfires have been reviewed and updated to drive improvements. Revisions include the development of a Scottish Government Strategic Oversight Group to monitor progress on the implementation of the Action Plan and escalate risks and issues to Scottish Ministers if required.

Insurance

Clarity over insurance cover for land owners, land-based staff and their equipment when responding to wildfires – including when they ignite and spread on nearby land-holdings rather than their own land-holding or place of work - is an issue that has been raised during recent stakeholder events and debriefs. Clarity is also required with regard to insurance cover for assets that are recorded on the Community Asset Register^[9], a Scotland wide database of volunteers willing to help during an emergency.

Action 14: Scottish Government is facilitating discussions between the Association of British Insurers, insurance companies, the SFRS, public sector partners and Scottish Land and Estates. These discussions will ensure that the insurance industry has a full understanding of wildfire insurance issues and requirements and that these can be taken into consideration when insurers are developing and updating their policies.

Helicopter access protocols

Helicopters are an important supplemental tool in Scotland’s wildfire response – in particular for rapid water delivery, supporting ground crews and accessing difficult terrain. They currently operate through commercial providers, integrated into SFRS command structures on an as-needed basis. Seasonal helicopter availability for responding to wildfire events is an issue that was raised during the recent engagement events and debriefs.

Action 15: SFRS, public bodies and SWF partners will consider the mapping work undertaken by Scottish Government of the current helicopter call off process to identify whether there are opportunities for improvement and provide any recommendations to Scottish Government following the 2026 wildfire season.

3. Responding to wildfires

Responding to wildfire incidents effectively requires rapid situational assessment, clear communication and coordinated action across all responders. Establishing strong command and control structures ensures that everyone understands roles, priorities and tactics and it is vital for firefighter and public safety.

The primary organisation for wildfire response in Scotland is the SFRS, who undertake and lead on command and control at such incidents.

In addition, other organisations, businesses, land managers and community volunteers have developed the capacity to support the SFRS during wildfire incidents through the provision of equipment, expertise and personnel. This multi-agency response, together with the deployment and use of shared resources and skills, is increasingly important given the increasing frequency and severity of wildfires in rural areas.

In order to ensure enhanced coordination between the SFRS, public sector organisations and other responders during wildfire events, one of the key recommendations from the SMARTEU debrief exercise was enhanced coordination through development of a shared ‘Concept of Operations’ (CONOPS) to clarify roles and responsibilities across agencies, supported by the Scottish Government Resilience Room, Local Resilience Partnerships and Regional Resilience Partnerships, and briefing Scottish Government lead Directors for those local authorities carrying the greatest risk, enabling in turn better reassurance to communities and people who are most vulnerable.

Action 16: A ‘Concept of Operations’ (CONOPS) will be put in place by the SFRS in good time for the 2026 wildfire season. This will be a crucial element of the collaborative integrated fire management approach involving the Service, public sector and private sector partners.

Action 17: The collaborative development of robust Incident Response Plans will support the safety of responders and communities whilst minimising the environmental, social, and economic impacts of wildfires.

Action 18: The SFRS and partners within the SWF will give further consideration to proposals for a mountain rescue-style multi-stakeholder response model, with trained wildfire volunteers, to support local efforts when called upon. There is potential to trial this approach within the Cairngorms National Park.