Residents of Nethy Bridge, near the Cairngorms wildfire, have been advised they can return to their properties following an evacuation on Friday night. Police Scotland confirmed on Saturday night that the major incident declaration, made due to a change in weather, has now been stood down.
The decision to lift the evacuation notice followed a detailed assessment by emergency responders, according to Kenny Barbour, deputy assistant chief officer for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. He stated that extensive work, including the creation of effective fire breaks, has significantly reduced the risk to nearby communities.
First Minister John Swinney welcomed the lifting of the evacuation notice but stressed that the Scottish Government and emergency services will continue to treat the wildfire with seriousness until it is fully extinguished. Police said 75 firefighters remained on the ground on Saturday, with an ongoing multi-agency response.
The fire, which has been burning for 10 days, broke out near Glenmore last Wednesday. It covered approximately six square kilometres of heather and small trees at its height, with over 500 firefighters involved in tackling it.