The dangers of wildfires have been highlighted by landowners after firefighters say they have contained one of the largest ever recorded in the UK.
Nearly 3,000 hectares of land has been burned by a wildfire in the Cannich area of the Scottish Highlands.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said they have now brought it under control, since the incident started on Sunday (28 May).
Two firefighters responding to the blaze on Tuesday were injured when their ATV collided.
They were airlifted to a nearby hospital for treatment and have since been released.
At the wildfire's height, SFRS mobilised nine appliances, and a helicopter was used to water bomb the area.
It follows on from the huge wildfire near Glenuig in April, which was estimated to be the second largest ever recorded in the UK.
Scottish Land & Estates (SLE), a group which consists of landowners, said wildfires had a "devastating impact on wildlife and habitats, generating catastrophic carbon emissions".
The group said they were becoming increasingly frequent in Scotland "partly due to climate change and partly due to a lack of fuel load management in some areas".
Ross Ewing, director of moorland at SLE said: “This wildfire demonstrates how important it is to utilise all the tools at our disposal to manage the fuel load of vegetation, which has been shown to increase wildfire risk.
“We urge anyone going out into the countryside to take care and follow guidance in relation to campfire cooking and when the ground is so dry it’s recommended not to use either a campfire or a camping stove.”
A wildfire warning in place since Friday (26 May) has been extended to 5 June by the SFRS.
“As the warm and dry weather continues, so too does the risk of wildfire,” said SFRS group commander, Niall MacLennan.
Advice for public
Rural groups have issued guidance and advice to the public to help prevent wildfires:
• Do not discard cigarettes.
• Do not start fires or use BBQs as they frequently cause wildfires.
• Dispose of all litter appropriately.
• Do not release sky lanterns. Once released, there is no control over where they end up.
• If anyone finds themselves in a position where they encounter a wildfire that they are unable to bring under control safely, move to a safe location up wind and call the emergency service on 999 immediately, giving an accurate location of the fire.
