Residents of a Scottish village facing evacuation due to the Cairngorms wildfire are “upset, angry and frustrated” as “apocalyptic” smoke draws near.
They have sharply criticised the emergency response, likening it to “closing the stable door now that the horse has bolted”.
Homes around Nethy Bridge were issued a precautionary evacuation order on Friday night as the wildfire, which has been burning for over a week in the Cairngorms National Park, intensified.
Shifting wind conditions were cited as the reason for the fire's change in direction and spread.
More than 500 firefighters have been tackling the blaze.
Sandy McCook, chair of the Nethy Bridge and Vicinity Community Council, said residents could see large plumes of smoke from the wildfire on Friday before they were evacuated.
“Apocalyptic is the word for the pall of smoke that was on the go yesterday,” he said on Saturday.
The smoke has changed direction, and on Saturday at midday he said it was blowing towards Aberdeenshire and the North Sea.
However, the flames were still “very plain to see” from the outskirts of Nethy Bridge.
Richard Eccles, who has lived in Nethy Bridge for 33 years with his wife Patricia, running a guest house, said that police visited their home around 10pm on Friday.
He said the couple were presented with three options: remain in their home, seek accommodation with friends or family elsewhere, or go to emergency accommodation at the Macdonald hotel in Aviemore.
The couple ultimately decided to stay unless the fire comes significantly closer, a decision that appears to have been mirrored by most residents in the village.
Mr Eccles said: “We’ve got a camper van and we’re all ready and set to go at a moment’s notice.”
He continued: “If it gets smoky, we’ll go.”
A wedding was due to take place at Castle Roy, which is near the village, but Mr Eccles said this has had to be cancelled as a result of the wildfire evacuations.
He said the Scottish government’s response had been “poor” and a major incident should have been declared earlier, with military assistance brought in to tackle the fire before it spread.
Mr Eccles said: “It’s a bit like closing the stable door now that the horse has bolted.”
The fire ignited in heathland at Ryvoan Bothy, near Nethy Bridge, late last Wednesday evening.
Numerous properties and businesses, including campsites and ski resorts within the Glenmore Forest Park area, were closed and evacuated earlier in the week as a precautionary measure.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service group commander Raymond King said: “While we want people to enjoy the good weather, we ask that anyone in the Cairngorms National Park near to Aviemore and Glenmore avoid the area.
“This part of the Cairngorms National Park is popular with hillwalkers, and we ask that people remain vigilant while active firefighting continues.”
The Cairngorms National Park Authority said earlier in the week that firefighters had been working with landowners to contain the incident and create fire breaks, with high winds causing the fire to spread across areas of trees and woodland.
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