The King has expressed his “admiration and appreciation” for all those who helped tackle wildfires around the UK this summer.
Charles met some of the volunteers, firefighters and landowners involved in tackling a major wildfire in the Cairngorms as he visited the area on Wednesday.
Fire crews and volunteers spent almost five weeks tackling the blaze, which broke out in the Glenmore area near Aviemore on July 15 and burned across 3,300 hectares of land.
More than 500 firefighters were involved in fighting the blaze, with homes, businesses, campsites and a ski resort in the area evacuated.
Charles travelled to An Lochan Uaine – commonly known as the Green Lochan – on Wednesday morning, where he spoke with some of those involved in the firefighting efforts.
The popular tourist destination lies in the area affected by the blaze, and some of the damage wrought by the fire was visible on the blackened slopes above the loch.
In a statement issued after the visit, the King thanked those involved in tackling the blaze and highlighted the issue of climate change.
He said: “My wife and I have been appalled by the devastating impact of wildfires this summer and the terrible destruction they have caused to homes, livelihoods and landscapes, not only in this beautiful landscape of the Cairngorms, but across the United Kingdom and – as we have seen – other regions of Europe.
“I can only express my admiration and appreciation to all those who have worked so tirelessly and courageously, in the UK and beyond, to bring these fires under control and to those supporting communities facing the long road to restoration and renewal that still lies ahead.
“The shock of witnessing these fires around the world in recent months reminds us forcibly of the mounting pressures that prolonged heat and drought are placing upon our precious Earth, and of the increasingly urgent need not only to strengthen our collective resilience, including through preparedness and risk reduction, but also to tackle the root causes of climate change which, if not addressed, risk creating conditions which will make such tragic and costly events ever more frequent.
“As the work of recovery still goes on for many, the compassion and fortitude of the communities affected shine through.
“It is my most heartfelt hope that they continue to find in one another the strength to rebuild.”
Charles arrived in a Land Rover shortly after 11am, sporting a grey blazer and chinos that shone in the dappled autumn sunshine.
For part of the visit, he walked with the assistance of a shepherd’s crook, traversing the uneven ground through woodland above the loch.
Representatives of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Cairngorms National Park Authority, the RSPB, NatureScot and staff from local estates were among those to meet Charles.
He spoke to them about the blaze, their firefighting efforts, and the damage done to the area.
At one point he could be heard discussing how Caledonian pine trees respond following a fire, and saying it is a “great relief” that the area has now seen some rain.
He also met representatives of other national parks – including the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, in the US, which he visited as part of his trip across the Atlantic earlier in the year.
Speaking afterwards, Cairngorms National Park boss Grant Moir told the Press Association: “It was great to have him here and to show him the damage that was caused by the wildfire.
“But also to talk about what’s going to happen in the future and how we’re all working together to ensure these things are minimised in the future, and that we can do more to try and protect these amazing places.”
He said the King’s visit is “incredibly important” in raising awareness of the wildfire, and of the ongoing work to help the area recover from it.
“Wildfire and flooding and things like that are becoming more part of things that are happening in the UK every year, and it’s trying to make sure the wider population understand how all these things fit together and that we all have a role in trying to deal with it.
“You can never say there won’t be another wildfire. There will be more, we have just got to try and make sure the impact of them is as minimal as possible.”
As part of the visit, Charles marked the new twinning partnership between the mountains in the Highlands and Shenandoah National Park.
The mountains of Scotland and Appalachia in the US formed part of the same ancient range more than 250 million years ago, before geological forces gradually separated them across the Atlantic.
Charles unveiled a piece of granite from Shenandoah National Park to mark the shared geological heritage of the two national parks.
The stone is a companion to the one from the Cairngorms that was unveiled in Shenandoah during Charles’s state visit to the US in April.
