FIREFIGHTERS continue to battle a large wildfire in Galloway.
The blaze started on Friday around 11.50 pm near Merrick Hill before spreading to the Ben Yellary, Glen Trool and Loch Dee areas.
Emergency services worked throughout the weekend fighting the fire, closing roads, evacuating wild campers and hikers, with Glentrool Hub acting as hub for emergency service coordinators.
Satellite images of the area have shown that at its height the inferno was visible from space.
On Sunday the Scottish Government’s Resilience Room met to hear about the ongoing response to the inferno. The meeting heard that progress has been made in bringing the fire under control today, but that the incident remains ongoing. People are being urged to stay away from the area and any nearby residents should keep their doors and windows closed.
Cabinet Secretary for Home Affairs Angela Constance said: “I am extremely grateful to all the first responders who have been working hard to control this fire since it was first reported. Thanks to their efforts, significant progress has been made and the situation is currently under control.
“I am reassured to hear that so far there has been no damage to properties or mature woodland. However, this remains an ongoing incident and the situation will be re-assessed at first light.
“Earlier this week the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service issued an extreme wildfire warning due to the dry conditions across much of Scotland. As we continue to see a period of warm and dry weather, it’s essential that all of us act responsibly while enjoying the outdoors so we can keep the number of wildfires at an absolute minimum.”
