While summertime is a fantastic season for exploring the British countryside and having great adventures outdoors, it’s saddening that every year, with an increasing regularity and heightening profile, we see footage of wildfires on our television screens and social media. Whilst some occur naturally, many are started by people.
This summer, we are raising funds and awareness with the RSPB about how these fires are instigated and how they can be prevented. As a company that encourages our guests to look after and respect the places they holiday, this cause matters deeply to us.
Sadly, on May 30 2023, RSPB Corrimony in Scotland was devastated by a raging wildfire that destroyed up to half of the area, decimating rare wildlife and habitat. We are doing our bit to support the campaign to raise funds for the reserve's restoration and to help prevent future harrowing events such as this from occurring.
When holidaying in the countryside, whether you are visiting one of our beautiful national parks or an RSPB reserve, it is a good idea to be aware of your surroundings and how your presence can impact them. Please read on for vital information on how to prevent wildfires and further advice on protecting the countryside this summertime.
Please donate to help RSPB Corrimony's recovery
The campaign to restore RSPB Corrimony
In late May at RSPB Corrimony in Scotland, a wildfire believed to be caused by a campfire wreaked havoc, destroying hundreds of hectares of woodland and moorland. As well as ripping through half of the reserve’s area, the fire devastated rare wildlife at a crucial time of year. Populations of black grouse, crested tits, and the endemic Scottish crossbills have been drastically affected, as many bird species raise their young in late May. Many common lizards and frogs were unable to escape the blaze, as well as the nests of lots of birds.
Over 25 years of valuable conservation work at RSPB Corrimony has been lost, and they urgently need our support to bounce back. Collective conservation efforts backed by community support had helped to regenerate and restore the native Caledonian forests of rowan, birch, and Scots pine.
Simon McLaughlin, Site Manager at RSPB Scotland said: “This wildfire has devastated Corrimony. At this time of year, I should be seeing young chicks emerging from their nests but now only their parents are left in the charred landscape. With so much nature lost we really need your help.”
Please give all you can to this cause – click to jump directly to the foot of this page if you would like to donate.
FAQs about wildfires
There are numerous contributing factors that add up to the perfect conditions for a wildfire. A period of hot weather with hardly any rain leads to dry conditions. Grass and other plants become prone to catching fire from the smallest of sparks.
A wildfire/grass fire is an uncontrolled burn that breaks out, often in rural areas, during a period of hot weather and drought. They are very dangerous to humans, wildlife, birdlife and the countryside. Woodlands, farmlands, heaths, moorlands and grasslands are some of the habitats that could be destroyed.
Wildfires/grass fires aren’t only restricted to rural areas either; some fires could occur in parks and suburban areas – anywhere that has a reasonable area of dry grass or vegetation.
Cigarettes – make sure all cigarettes are extinguished and disposed of properly. Huge fires can be started with something as small as a casually discarded cigarette butt flicked from a passing car window. In most cases, the fire starter won’t even know it was them who caused the destruction.
Disposable BBQs and campfires – something as small as an ember or a spark can quickly cause mayhem. Disposable BBQs and campfires still transmit heat and stay hot for a long time after they’re put out. The RSPB urges members of the public to think twice about lighting up a disposable BBQ in the countryside, as the risk of fire increases across heathland habitats, particularly during hot weather spells. Consider taking cold or pre-cooked food on your picnic and take all your rubbish away.
Glass bottles – always take your bottles home with you after your visit. The sun’s glare from a discarded bottle can generate sparks that can lead to a wildfire.
- Don’t have BBQs or campfires in the countryside, or on any grassland during dry weather.
- Stub out cigarettes and dispose of their butts appropriately.
- Never flick a lit cigarette out of a car window.
- Never leave campfires or BBQs unattended – extinguish them properly.
- Don’t have BBQs on balconies as the embers can blow on the winds to areas that could catch alight.
- Don’t allow children to use matches or lighter fluid.
- Take your bottles home with you. They can be recycled or used again.
- Take all your litter home, it weighs less empty than when you carried it to your picnic site.
If you see a wildfire, call 999 immediately and steer clear of its path.
Your support matters
Teams at RSPB Corrimony are working to recover from the damage but they can only do so much with their existing resources. More help is needed and, by donating today, your generosity will enable:
- The replanting of woodlands - huge swathes were lost to the fire.
- Additional deer management which is required to protect the newly planted trees.
- Additional monitoring of species recovery, and also to understand the impact the fire had on population numbers.
- Costs to be met for bringing staff in to fight the fire from all over the north of Scotland.
- Funding a share of firefighting costs.
We support the RSPB
holidaycottages.co.uk has been proud to support the RSPB since 2021 with our series of RSPB Holiday Watch competitions. With our customers' generosity, we have been able to support carbon protection and restoration projects at several reserves around the UK including RSPB Franchises Lodge, RSPB Gwenffrwd-Dinas, RSPB Glenborrodale, and RSPB Haweswater.
At holidaycottages.co.uk, we have pledged to continue our supportive partnership with the RSPB, offering them continued donations to achieve their aims of preserving important habitats and reducing the RSPB’s carbon footprint. For more information on the RSPB’s national initiatives to improve our open spaces, visit their website - also if you interested in learning more about our responsible holiday charter, you can do so here.
Please donate
All photos courtesy of Mark Hamblin (rspb-images.com) with the exception of the first two (supplied by RSPB Scotland).