-lives will no longer be put at risk-
Nearly 100 gamekeepers put themselves in harm’s way to help the Fire Service at the recent Cairngorms wildfires – the biggest ever in Scotland.
Now Scottish Government has been warned that that goodwill hangs in the balance due to ‘unworkable’ new licensing restrictions and a new Code on muirburn they claim will cause more wildfires.
'unworkable'
Changes coming into force on January 1st 2026 mean gamekeepers now have to probe and measure peat depth to establish whether they can apply for a licence to carry out managed burning over peatlands.
Practiced for centuries, Muirburn is proven to mitigate against wildfire by creating fire breaks and reducing combustible fuel, as well as providing nutrition for moorland fauna.
However, following initial groundwork, it has been discovered probing survey work for the new scheme could take some up to 60 days at vast financial cost, with no licence guaranteed.
One single section on an estate has learned 12 000 individual points would have to be probed, if the methodology from government advisers, NatureScot, was to be followed.
“We are young gamekeepers. We want to be listened to because this will have a huge impact on our futures. Muirburn is a large part of what we do,” said gamekeeper Craig Hepburn, a member of the Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA) Youth Committee.
“The licensing scheme and proposed New Code are completely unworkable. Even where licences are granted the code will make it almost impossible to carry out prescribed burning, which will have a negative impact on biodiversity and wildfire mitigation.
”As people, it goes against the grain for us to turn our backs on anyone but, if Government is going to tie us in knots when we are trying to help, why should folk keep putting their lives at risk?
“There are NGOs and government agencies that don’t help at any wildfires and don’t have any mitigations in place, either. Yet we are having our hands tied everywhere. I think most people could see that is totally wrong and it needs to be looked at again.”
A deadly approach
The young professionals from the SGA, mostly college trained, say that the new peat probing laws and curbs on steep slope burning will take vast hectares of their ground out of beneficial fuel load management.
Having fought the dangerous Cairngorms fires, and with 2025, so far, seeing more wildfires than any year bar 2017 and 2018, they feel this is a dangerous - and potentially deadly - approach.
“Since I left home 7 years ago, I’ve been at the Moray fire, at Cannich and now this one.
“The Government are making it harder and harder to do controlled burning, which is proven to help mitigate against wildfire, and this is happening more and more,” said gamekeeper, Harris Meekham, who will be severely impacted by new restrictions.
Fellow youngster Malcolm Downie agreed. On his estate, new laws on peat depth and slopes will severely limit controlled burning, with rocky ground making access for cutting too dangerous.
“There seems to be confusion between wildfires and prescribed burning. Wildfires burn uncontrollably causing extensive damage to habitat and soils whilst controlled burning removes the top layer of vegetation reducing fuel and encouraging regeneration of plant species.
“We don’t believe there is any damage done to peatland during muirburn. It would be of no benefit to us, or the environment, if it was.
“Similarly, burning on steep slopes can be carried out perfectly safely under the correct conditions and using the appropriate techniques and equipment.”
'lives at risk'
The youngsters say peat probing rules and burning on steep slopes must be revised before January 1stand are seeking a meeting with Ministers.
Gamekeeper Ed Jaundrell said: “Sadly, I think it might take someone to lose their life before Government listens. If we don’t manage fuel, it will simply get too dangerous.
“I am relieved we avoided that, this time, in the Cairngorms because it was close at times.”
Notes
***
Further Reading
Q/ What does the science say on muirburn impact on peat and carbon storage?
Protecting our peatlands - Managing heather moorland to restore,nurture and promote active peatland in the UK’s uplands. A summary of ten years studying moorland. York University.
A/ Burnt plots
"There was a large release of carbon during management as the top layer of vegetation was
burnt, as well as the associated air pollution such as from particles. However, the peat itself
was not damaged so the carbon stored there was not released. Carbon loss from the burnt
areas was more than from the mown areas for the first two years, but then carbon losses
fell as vegetation regrew. By 2015, two years after burning, burnt areas were taking up
more CO2 per year than they were losing and were therefore a carbon sink, although it was
not yet enough to make up for what had been lost as emissions during the burn.
One of the analyses we did gave a progressive yearly average carbon balance, which
included both the estimated carbon lost in combustion during the burning (divided over
the whole burning cycle) as well as carbon stored in charcoal and charred sticks afterwards.
These suggest that without heather beetle damage (discussed in box on p14) the burnt
area would be taking up carbon as a carbon sink by around 5-7 years after treatment,
even considering carbon losses from combustion. By around 8 years after burning, this
management would be taking up the most carbon per year of the three management
options."
