Michael

[Ross Ewing @RossEwing97]

Pleased to contribute to @BBCWeekendGMS alongside @DrTELS with analysis of the recent #wildfires in the Highlands.

While the cause of the fire is under investigation, a comprehensive government-led debrief needs to take place to ensure lessons are learned.

@ScotLandEstates

[Scottish Fire and Rescue Service @fire_scot]

⚠️ Update on wildfires in Highland, Moray and Aberdeenshire ⚠️

Please take a few minutes to watch the video that shows the huge scale of the response and acknowledges the dedication of all the firefighters who responded.

[Michael @FirebreakSvcs]

Landward TV airing wildfire training, fire 🔥 to tackle 🔥 @WildfireTacAd @ScotGamekeepers @ForumScottish

[Dee Ward @DeeWardRottal]

We are on BBC Landward this Thursday at 8.30pm in case anyone wants to see some of the stuff we are doing here at Rottal. It was a fun day filming with @DougieVipond . For my English, Welsh & Irish friends- Landward is the equivalent of Country File but way better and focused on genuine rural subjects and issues. It airs in England, Wales & NI on Sunday at 9.30am on BBC Two.

[Michael @FirebreakSvcs]

This is alarming, we need to check NatureScot equivalent peat maps as a matter of urgency. @RossEwing97 @ScotLandEstates

[Luke Hemmings 🌻🇺🇦 @lwhemmings]

Successive govts. have been far too reliant on “opportunity / constraint” mapping, presumably driven by remote data and algorithms - to the point where stuff can’t happen even though it’s clearly the right thing if you just looked on the ground or listened to the people who do

[IAWF @IAWF]

Wildland firefighters are increasingly being called to fight wildfires in urban environments. @AnotherFireGuy Lindon Pronto challenges our current approaches to fighting fires in Wildfire Magazine Special Edition: #LAFires #wildfire https://t.co/IMgYBIOo0t

[Jake Swindells - Scottish Countryside Alliance @ScotCountryside]

Fire crews were still in attendance this morning tackling sporadic hotspots. Around 100 Hectares lost, devastating to local wildlife! Please follow the guidance of @fire_scot and help prevent further wildfires. ⬇️

[Scottish Fire and Rescue Service @fire_scot]

🔥 Extreme Wildfire Warning – Mainland Scotland 🔥

An Extreme Wildfire Warning is in place across mainland Scotland from today until Monday, 12 May.

✅ Avoid BBQs and campfires
✅ Never discard cigarettes or litter

More info on our website: https://t.co/AOhSRjPYhd

[Michael @FirebreakSvcs]

@essexforester @RogerDowald1 @MoorlandAssoc Yup seen several times, little surface fuel under closed canopy Sitka, where fires follow fuel in open areas & rides. Fire belts (breaks) are situational, & seasonal with different options in different areas/seasons

[Copernicus EMS @CopernicusEMS]

🚱 #Drought Report

⚠️ 27.6% of the EU & UK is in warning, 1.5% in alert.

Since late March, drought has intensified, spreading across central, northern & south-eastern Europe, with alerts now in Greece, Türkiye & the Balkans.

🔗 https://t.co/kIKfkLGxCK

[Michael @FirebreakSvcs]

Royal Scottish Forestry Society makes 3 fire articles publicly available, including UK Wildfire 2024 conference report, see https://t.co/jret50AUet @ForumScottish @ScotLandEstates @MoorlandAssoc @heathertrust @NFUStweets @WildfireTacAd @centrewildfires

[Michael @FirebreakSvcs]

Largest fire 2025 Galloway Forest Park 6,720 ha (16,598 acres) source EFFIS MODIS/Sentinel 2, mostly grassfire, damaged SSSI. Lots helicopters. @ScotLandEstates @Forestry_UK @NFUStweets @ForumScottish @ScotGamekeepers @DrTELS

[Dr Thomas Smith 🔥🌏 @DrTELS]

Here's the UK's cumulative burnt area so far for this year, according to @CopernicusEMS, beating the previous record of 2019. It may be early in the year, but we are towards the end of the 'fire season'. [1/2]

[Dr Thomas Smith 🔥🌏 @DrTELS]

And here's a map of the burnt area locations, most picked up over the past 30 days.
[2/2]

[Michael @FirebreakSvcs]

@ForumScottish @ScotLandEstates @NatureScot @scotforestry @ScotLandEstates @MoorlandAssoc @moorlandforum @WildfireTacAd @NFUStweets @RogerDowald1

[Gavin McGregor @GavinOutdoors]

With concerns about Scottish wildfires to the fore in this week's dry, high-risk conditions, we're making open-access three articles on wildfire: our report from the recent UK wildfire conference, plus two pieces from the journal's archive. https://t.co/kDN2CaVGg1 @RSFS1854

[Michael @FirebreakSvcs]

EFFIS data over many yrs 🔥 >30ha occur springtime in Scotland/UK. Need to exclude land management fires known as Muirburn in Scotland. See JHI paper https://t.co/h7qRg7CVEh

[Prof Guillermo Rein. 🔥 @GuillermoRein]

@FirebreakSvcs Dear Michael, a single example cannot rebut a statement about the statistical mean over many years of UK wildfires.

[Michael @FirebreakSvcs]

And need to be careful to exclude the large number of small land management fires, known as Muirburn in Scotland

[Michael @FirebreakSvcs]

Not sure either is right. The largest wildfires in UK have happened in April. The Galloway Forest Park fire this April was c. 6,000 ha, and Ardnamurchan fire 2003 was 7,000ha. Difficult terrain & lower population reason.

[Michael @FirebreakSvcs]

Where did you get your statistics? Looking at EFFIS statistics over many years for fires >30ha I think still shows that the majority of large fires in UK happen in springtime.

[Prof Guillermo Rein. 🔥 @GuillermoRein]

@FirebreakSvcs Dear Michael, a single example cannot rebut a statement about the statistical mean over many years of UK wildfires.

[Michael @FirebreakSvcs]

Not sure either is right. The largest wildfires in UK have happened in April. The Galloway Forest Park fire this April was c. 6,000 ha, and Ardnamurchan fire 2003 was 7,000ha. Difficult terrain & lower population reason.

[Prof Guillermo Rein. 🔥 @GuillermoRein]

@firesciphil @grok Typical academic: I subject myself to public scrutiny when I know I am right.

[Michael @FirebreakSvcs]

A Galloway Wildfire – Bog Myrtle & Peat https://t.co/5ZyKdNP0MT

[Michael @FirebreakSvcs]

The linked RSE paper by DT is vague, & doesn’t drill down to look at actual issues. And needs comprehensive risk assessment or bowtie risk analysis to identify cross-cutting issues e.g. soil carbon emissions from afforestation peaty soils

[Davy McCracken @DavyMcCracken]

The nature crisis will persist unless we tackle the climate-nature emergency with the urgency it deserves. Latest blog post from @RoyalSocEd

https://t.co/wYn9vZLWg4

[Michael @FirebreakSvcs]

A few wildfires in Scotland popping up on EFFIS. A bit concerned about the size of one in SW, nr Glentrool village. 6km2 (3,600ha). Also seeing some big ones in Wales. @DrTELS @rorymiles @ForumScottish @ScotLandEstates @NFUStweets @ForestryLS

[Scottish Fire and Rescue Service @fire_scot]

⚠️ 🔥 A very high to extreme wildfire warning remains in place through the weekend.

For more info and advice 👉 https://t.co/Pgxcd7YORD