Nethy Bridge residents return home as Cairngorms wildfire downgraded

Residents of Nethy Bridge can now return to their homes after being evacuated Friday night due to a wildfire raging in the Cairngorms National Park. Police Scotland has stood down the major incident status, citing an extensive multi-agency response that has significantly reduced the risk to nearby communities.

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The extensive work carried out over recent days, including the creation of effective fire breaks, has significantly reduced the risk to nearby communities, allowing evacuated residents to safely return home.

Firefighting efforts have focused on creating effective fire breaks to protect residential areas. Police Scotland's deputy assistant chief constable, Kenny Barbour, stated that the decision to lift the evacuation notice followed a detailed assessment by emergency responders. "The extensive work carried out over recent days... has significantly reduced the risk to nearby communities, allowing evacuated residents to safely return home," he said.

Despite the progress, firefighters maintain a significant operational presence, with 75 personnel on the ground Saturday. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service reported good progress in strengthening fire breaks and a reduction in hot spots. First Minister John Swinney emphasized that the government and emergency services continue to treat the blaze with utmost seriousness until it is fully extinguished.

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the evacuation was "just not organised properly."

However, the handling of the wildfire has drawn criticism from locals. Some residents and the Nethy Bridge community council leader, Sandy McCook, argued that the move to declare it a major incident came too late and that too many decisions were made remotely in Edinburgh. Local resident John McGlinchey also stated the evacuation was "just not organised properly."

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too many decisions had been "taken from Edinburgh"