Wildfire spread across 4,000 acres in New Galloway is 'largely extinguished'
A giant wildfire which spread over 15km of Dumfries and Galloway has now largely been extinguished, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service say.
More than 60 firefighters, 10 fire appliances, two helicopters and various support resources were attended the incident in Mossdale, New Galloway, when the blaze started last Thursday.
Dry conditions and winds caused the fire to spread across 4,000 acres of heather, scrub and forestry.
Helicopters were brought in to douse the flames with water from a nearby loch. One fire appliance remains on scene to monitor the area and check for any remaining hotspots.
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Area Commander Craig McGoldrick, SFRS Local Senior Officer for Dumfries and Galloway, said: “First and foremost, I would like to highlight the efforts of our crews who worked tirelessly and professionally to contain and extinguish this fire.
“This incident was a notable example of the incredible speed that wildfires can travel when fanned by the wind in dry conditions.
“It also required a large amount of resources, from within Dumfries and Galloway and beyond, and we have called upon the resilience of our national service to tackle it.
“While the fire is largely extinguished, we will continue our presence in the area to monitor and deal with any remaining hotspots.”
Area Commander McGoldrick also thanked partners, emergency service colleagues and the local community for their support over recent days.
He said : “We have received invaluable support from our partners – this included two helicopters, from Skyhook and PDG, which worked alongside our crews to tackle the fire in difficult to reach areas.
“In addition, continued support and generosity of the local community has also been humbling, and our sincere thanks goes to them.”
More on this as we get it.