Scottish Government Launches Strategic National Plan to Prevent and Fight Worsening Wildfires

The Scottish Government has published a new strategic action plan to prevent and respond to worsening wildfires, which Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) welcomed as reflecting "productive collaboration between ministers, land managers and emergency services."

“A new multi-agency strategic action plan has been launched to strengthen Scotland’s response to wildfires, as emergency services warn the risk is increasing and lasting longer each year”

Emergency Services Times

The plan is presented as a step to "strengthen prevention, preparedness and response to increasingly frequent and damaging wildfires" and was developed with input from rural-sector bodies including the government’s Strategic Oversight Group for Wildfires and the Scottish Wildfire Forum.

Emergency Services Times

Officials emphasised the role of climate change in making such events more likely and said the plan is intended to improve preparation for future fire seasons.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has already invested in new kit and operational capacity as part of the wider response.

Government briefings and sector statements note investment in "new equipment, vehicles and training — including a tactical burnback team, four new wildfire support units and two interim units in Lockerbie and Thurso."

The Scottish Farmer

Ahead of the 2026 season, SFRS will introduce a new "concept of operations" intended to formalise joint public–private fire management.

The service also already maintains "more than 30 stations equipped for wildfires and specialist tactical advisers to support major incidents."

The plan foregrounds private‑sector and community contributions to wildfire response: SLE’s evidence from recent incidents showed "at least 36 rural businesses (including 30 estates) helped fight the Carrbridge and Dava fires, deploying nearly £4m of specialist kit and more than 110 staff and contractors," and the strategy explicitly promotes expansion of a Community Asset Register of volunteers and equipment.

“A new multi-agency strategic action plan has been launched to strengthen Scotland’s response to wildfires, as emergency services warn the risk is increasing and lasting longer each year”

Emergency Services Times

Emergency Services Times reports the strategy is also "exploring a mountain-rescue-style scheme for trained wildfire volunteers, with a possible trial in Cairngorms National Park," reflecting a move to formalise volunteer roles alongside statutory responders.

The strategy includes policy and oversight measures to adapt to changing risk and legislation, and it will monitor changes to muirburn licensing under the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026, review the helicopter call-off process, and reassess wildfire danger and alert systems with academic partners.

The Scottish Multi-Agency Resilience, Training and Exercise Unit (SMARTEU) warned that reduced fuel-management techniques could worsen wildfire risk and flagged possible impacts of legislative changes on privately owned firefighting equipment.

The Scottish Farmer

SLE chief executive Sarah-Jane Laing said ministers had listened and stressed that continued cooperation will be essential as the plan moves from strategy to action.