How can communities prepare for wildfires?
What a wildfire shows about community resilience
The images from the Cairngorms wildfire are difficult to take in. Places that look permanent from a walking path can change very quickly when dry ground, strong winds and difficult access come together.
The report on the fire’s effect around Nethy Bridge also shows something less visible: the amount of practical knowledge held by a community. Residents responded to evacuation advice. Emergency crews worked alongside contractors, gamekeepers and volunteers. Firebreaks had to be strengthened quickly, with everyone dealing with uncertainty about weather and the direction of the flames.
Preparedness is ordinary work We often talk about climate adaptation as if it means a large new project. Sometimes it is much more ordinary than that: clear public information, a phone tree that works, neighbours checking who needs help, and people knowing where to go if they have to leave home.
That matters in towns and villages, but it matters in allotments too. We have learned to keep contact details up to date, make sure newcomers know the safest routes, and pay attention to weather warnings rather than relying on last year’s conditions. It is not dramatic work. It is still useful work.
Clear information saves time The advice around an emergency needs to be specific enough for people to act on. Which roads are closed? Where should families go? Can people return, and what should they check before doing so? Public information that is calm and plain is not a nice extra. It is part of the response.
A fire of this scale is a reminder that Scotland’s outdoor spaces are also communities, workplaces and homes. Recovery will take longer than the news cycle. I hope the lessons from Nethy Bridge are shared widely, including with local groups preparing for other kinds of disruption.