(S5O-03988) Forestry (Fire Hazard)

4. Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on the forestry sector of increased fire hazard due to long-term environmental changes. (S5O-03988)

The Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment (Mairi Gougeon): The Scottish Government’s resilience division is working with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to include an updated assessment of wildfire risk in the second iteration of the Scottish risk assessment. Wildfires include grassland, moorland and forest fires, and the new assessment will be available to responders in spring 2020.

In addition, the programme for government makes it clear that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will develop a wildfire strategy, to ensure that we can respond to the increased risk of wildfires, including forest fires.

Stewart Stevenson: The number of reported wildfires in Scotland quadrupled in the past year, albeit that we are not at Australia’s level. Is it appropriate to consider the wider effects on communities of wildfires and, perhaps, in particular, how muirburn is one of the smallish contributors to that?

Mairi Gougeon: Absolutely. We know that, as our climate changes, we are seeing more extreme weather events. I am sure that everyone in the chamber has watched in horror the events unfolding in Australia and understands the massive impact that they have had on Australia’s landscape and wildlife, as well as the sheer human cost of what is happening there and the human effort that is needed to tackle it. Stewart Stevenson is right to point that out and to mention the impact that the issue has had in Scotland. In April last year, we saw wildfires in Moray and, in May, we saw them in Sutherland, where they burned for five days.

We must do everything that we can to prepare for such challenges. That is why, along with partner agencies, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is developing its wildfire strategy, so that we can fight wildfires, try to prevent their happening in the first place and minimise the damage if they occur.