By Adam Morris
Firefighters spent more than 100 days battling wildfires as the number of blazes in Scotland soared to record numbers in 2025.
Research by 1919 has revealed there were 239 separate wildfire emergencies last year, quadruple that of the previous year, as the whole UK endured unusually dry spring and summer months.
They occurred the length and breadth of the country, and have been described by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service as “unprecedented”.
As well as the number of fires, the pressure they placed on resources also broke new records.
Firefighters were detained for more than 2,500 hours in total as the flames threatened to wreck countryside and wildlife, and posed major threats to rural settlements.
Climate change has been blamed for the increase, and fire bosses are concerned the problem will only get worse as average temperatures increase.
The fire brigade has spent around £1.6 million on equipment, training and vehicles to respond to the increased threat.
It said it is working with a range of organisations to prevent wildfires and mitigate their impact.
“Scotland faced an unprecedented scale of wildfire risk in 2025,” said deputy assistant chief officer Kenny Barbour.
“In addition to requiring a significant amount of resources, wildfires can potentially burn for days and devastate vast areas of land and wildlife, threatening the welfare of nearby communities.
“The service is committed to engaging with residents, landowners and local organisations to raise awareness of wildfire risks and to promote safe land management practices.”
“Scotland faced an unprecedented scale of wildfire risk in 2025”
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
The statistics were obtained by 1919 through freedom of information requests.
They show the 239 incidents last year also far outstripped the numbers for the previous five years.
No part of the country was spared, although the Highlands – with their vast swathes of wilderness – appear to have been the worst affected.
And even the cities did not escape, with one fire on Edinburgh’s famous Arthur’s Seat leading to a nearby road closure for several weeks.
Many countryside blazes required a fire service presence for longer than a week at a time.
“There’s evidence all over the world of the devasting effect of climate change,” said Maurice Golden, a Scottish Conservative MSP who campaigns on environmental issues.
“These figures show, in Scotland, we had some pretty hard evidence ourselves.
“These fires destroy precious land, endanger communities and place immense strain on the fire service.
“It’s vital all politicians work together to improve Scotland and the UK’s efforts to reduce emissions.”
The data also reveals wildfires are now far from just a summer problem.
Six blazes took place throughout September and October, and there was even a deliberately-set wildfire in the Angus town of Carnoustie in November, which took fire crews two days to extinguish.
Most of the wildfires recorded last year were considered accidental, with those in urban areas the most likely to have been started on purpose.
Number of wildfires in Scotland
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 239 |
| 2024 | 55 |
| 2023 | 145 |
| 2022 | 146 |