Wildfire in Cairngorms Declared ‘Major Incident’ as Ski Resort Remains Closed
25th July 2026
The fire has been burning for 10 days with the ski area closed for summer activities and access roads shut. One village has been evacuated amid criticisms of a poor response. NEW
The blaze broke out on Wednesday 15thth June and though it was being contained & brought under control a change in wind direction meant the village was under threat.
Police Scotland said Nethy Bridge residents were being directed to a dedicated respite centre at the Macdonald Aviemore Hotel and access roads into Nethy Bridge had been closed.
The Scottish government said a fire break had been established around the evacuated village overnight and new fire breaks were being constructed.
“The scenes from Cairngorm Mountain over the past few days have been truly devastating,” said a statement from Cairngorm Mountain Resort on Saturday.
“Our utmost thanks go to everyone working tirelessly on the front lines to tackle the fire.
“We are supporting the response wherever we can.
“Last night, members of our team assisted with creating firebreaks near Nethy Bridge, and we will continue to help as efforts continue.”
We reported on the wildfire earlier on PlanetSKI:
More than 100 firefighters have been tackling the blaze that has damaged 2.3 square miles.
Smoke can be seen 59 miles away in Aberdeen.
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First Minister John Swinney held a meeting of the Scottish government’s resilience committee early on Saturday.
He said additional police and fire service resources were being deployed to assist with the evacuation.
He added that it was “essential people avoid the affected areas.”
“Ground and helicopter resources are being focused on the current path of the fire and new fire breaks constructed.”
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Some locals are saying the response by the authorities has been poor, but The Scottish Fire & Rescue Service has said the Cairngorms wildfire has been “appropriately resourced” from the start.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said the fire remained “dynamic and unpredictable”.
A spokesman said: “Changing wind strength and direction can cause flare-ups, reignition and the spread of smoke, with conditions continuing to evolve.
“Firefighters remain deployed to tackle the incident across a vast and complex landscape, supported by ongoing helicopter water-bombing operations,” the SFRS spokesman added.
Cairngorms wildfire. Image c/o Scottish Fire & Rescue Service
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