Wildfire warning for Scotland

People in Scotland are being urged to be sensible and careful when out and about in the hot weather over the next couple of days.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and the Scottish Wildlife Forum (SWF) have issued a warning for a risk of wildfires across the whole country from Thursday into Friday.

People in Southern Scotland and Central Highlands will see the warning extended into Saturday too.

The warning comes as temperatures are expected to reach up to 21 degrees ahead of the bank holiday weekend.

BBC Scotland weather presenter Gillian Smart said with very little rain in the forecast, the risk of wildfires is high.

"The current dry spell - combined with strong sunshine at this time of year, and the brisk winds we've had at times this week - make for a dangerous mix in terms of wildfire risk," she said.

"All of these factors can really dry out vegetation.

"Spring generally presents ideal conditions for wildfires, with the combination of new growth and typically drier ground.

"And with high pressure remaining in charge into next week, and very little rain in the forecast, the risk will be ongoing."

Firefighters in Aberdeenshire have already been tackling a wildfire this week.

A large gorse fire broke out on fields near Rosehearty and required four fire appliances to put it out.

Elsewhere in the UK firefighters in Powys, in Wales, have been tackling fires in the Elan Valley area since Sunday.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said a helicopter had been deployed to drop water onto the blazes.

They added there's a high risk to nature and no significant rainfall predicted in the coming days to help put them out.

95 firefighters in Northern Ireland have been tackling wildfires in the Mourne Mountains since the weekend with another 45 tackling gorse fires in Loughermore Forest.

The Northern Ireland fire service said that firefighters have also responded to a number of other smaller wildfires in Belfast, Armagh, Lurgan and Rathfriland.

Camp fires and barbecues are already banned in the Caringorms - the UK's largest national park.

The new by-law, which was approved last autumn, comes into effect between 1 April and 30 September every year.

But in hot weather, it's a good rule of thumb not to light fires anywhere outside, particularly when the vegetation is dry.

If you are going to use a disposable barbecue or a camp fire, don't leave it unattended and take it away with you once you're done.

Make sure you don't drop any litter or glass bottles while you're out - these can cause fires from the sunlight shining on them.

Kenny Barbour, head of prevention at the SFRS and chair of the SWF, is asking people to be sensible in the sun.

He said said: "Going into the May bank holiday weekend, we will be seeing an extreme risk of wildfire across the whole of Scotland.

"We know people will be wanting to enjoy the good weather, but we ask they do so responsibly.

"People should avoid lighting outdoor fires and be mindful that one spark can spread, causing a large amount of damage. Remember, there's no such thing as a harmless fire."