Around lunchtime yesterday we were alerted to a fire on the dunes at the northern end of our Loch of Strathbeg reserve, near St Combs.
Photo from 27 June: Richard Humpidge
It was in an area of grass on the sand dunes and was moving fast. By late-afternoon, the Fire and Rescue Service decided to send a helicopter to douse the fire and try to get it under control. It arrived at 7 pm and with the combined efforts of 80-90 firemen, 12 pumps, three all-terrain vehicles with soft track, and the helicopter it was under control by late last night.
The overall area that has been damaged is difficult to work out but is probably just over 25 ha or 0.1 square miles, which is equivalent to 35 football pitches, nearly one and a half Duthie Parks, or one fifth the area enclosed by the outer breakwaters at Peterhead Harbour.
Photo from 28 June: Ed Grace
As far as we know there has been no damage to livestock, but it will take a little while to assess the damage for the wildlife that lives on the dunes and would have been raising young. The casualty list is likely to include birds such as skylarks and ringed plovers along with countless insects and thousands of snails.
Photos from 28 June: Ed Grace
We do not have confirmation of how the fire started yet, but at this time of year, warm dry weather increases the risks of wildfire.
We are keeping an eye on things to make sure it doesn’t start again and we hope that because the fire moved quickly that the damage will be less than originally feared.
We’ll keep you posted when we know more.