How a 78 year old fought Scotland's biggest wildfire

 

 

A Highlander who worked every day for almost a month at the age of nearly 80 to help extinguish Scotland’s biggest ever wildfire was honoured on Friday (7^th Aug).

 

Davie Taylor of Logie, a former Head Gamekeeper, helped fight the Dava wildfire with colleagues last year when it was at its height and had burned 85% of Dunphail on the southern edge of Dava Moor.

 

Thereafter, following three days of round-the-clock firefighting, he then spent the next 22 days digging out and dousing burning peat hotspots using 5-gallon drums of water sourced from a burn, and spades, until the fire was finally out.

 

With the Cairngorms wildfire of recent weeks having been resourced with millions of pounds of technical firefighting equipment, included extended use of water bombing helicopters, the personal feats of Mr Taylor in 2025 was described as ‘remarkable’.

 

Years earlier the highlander had broken his back whilst working but his stubborn determination to see Dunphail safe, over 25 gruelling days, outweighed his own personal considerations.

 

On Friday, surrounded by family at Moy Country Fair in Inverness-shire, Mr Taylor received a specially inaugurated award by the Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA) for his efforts and care.

'selfless'

 

The crafted decanter for outstanding services to Conservation and Community was presented by SGA Chairman Alex Hogg, MBE, on the same day former MSP and Rural Cabinet Secretary, Fergus Ewing, received the Ronnie Rose Award.

 

Mr Ewing, who lost his seat at the 2026 election after serving Inverness and Nairn for 26 years was honoured for his unstinting advocacy for good gamekeeping and land management during a distinguished Holyrood career.

 

Speaking of his colleague and friend, Gamekeeper Davie Thomson, who attended the award ceremony, said Mr Taylor had shown the essence of selfless service at Dava.

 

“This is a guy who had broken his back a few years ago. He just stuck at it, day after day, at nearly 80 years old. He wasn’t going to leave peat burning there.

 

“Summer wildfires burn down into peat and Davie was digging out the peat and cutting out tree roots that send the fire down into the peat. He was filling up 5-gallon drums, sticking them on the Argo and driving to wherever the hostpots were, pouring it down to get the edges out.

 

“Once the water was used up, it was back to the burn and filling up again. It’s heavy work, that, day after day.”

 

Muirburn warning

 

Fergus Ewing, also receiving his award, expressed admiration for Mr Taylor’s contribution to the community and warned his former SNP Government that new legislation regarding the licensing of controlled burning (muirburn) will exacerbate wildfires.

 

“Estates where muirburn is not practiced, where firebreaks and paths are not kept clear; where unmanaged heather and vegetation can grow even to shoulder height – these so-called ‘rewilded’ estates- thus become a gigantic rural tinderbox.

 

“This law (muirburn licensing) which will directly cause and exacerbate these hazards is potentially lethal.”

 

Mr Ewing said he was delighted to receive his award, adding: “Gamekeepers are the beating heart of rural Scotland. Over the past 26 years in Holyrood, I have sought always to make the case for gamekeeping and field sports. I have the greatest respect for the work you do.”

 

Also receiving an award from the SGA Fishing Group for Wild Salmon Conservation was River Dee River Operations Manager Edwin Third who has been a pivotal figure in award-winning initiatives to restore riparian habitats such as the ‘Save the Spring’ campaign.

 

***

 

*Fergus Ewing gave an impassioned speech about the recent wildfires when receiving his award, which he said he would cherish for the rest of his life.

 

Here is Mr Ewing’s press comments, in full, for the benefit of members.

 

 

“When first elected in 1999 as MSP for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber, I knew very little about the work of Gamekeepers in Scotland. But I was fortunate to learn from people such as the late Ronnie, Rose and my good friend Alex Hogg. In that first Session of Parliament, it was heartening that MSPs from the main parties worked together and sought and achieved exemptions from the Watson bill which banned fox hunting as a sport. 

 

“That was because in those early days MSPs were ready to listen and learn. To put country ahead of party and work for the common good. That is, after all, what our Parliament is supposed to be about. 

“Over the past 26 years, I have sought always to put the case for keepers and field sports, especially when Rural Secretary, and to argue against various ill-judged and flawed pieces of legislation. Sadly, the listening Parliament of 1999 has become a lecturing Parliament of 2021 and 2026.   

 

“We should be proud of rural land management and give full backing to field sports. Instead of that pride we now see prejudice. In place of learning and understanding we see ignorance.   

“I have the greatest respect for the work you do; for the knowledge and understanding you possess about balanced management of land and wildlife: Few care more for rural Scotland than you. Keepers are the beating heart of rural Scotland.

 

“If I have one particular plea today to make to the Scottish Government and Parliament it is this: Please have the guts and sense to scrap the appallingly misguided and dangerous muirburn licencing scheme. The recent massive wildfire in Cairngorm - the second huge one in two years- has again shown what happens to estates such as that run by the RSPB at Abernethy: Estates where muirburn is not practised, where firebreaks and paths are not kept clear; where unmanaged heather and vegetation can grow even to shoulder height…These so-called ‘re-wilded’ estates thus become a gigantic rural tinderbox.   

 

“This law which will directly cause and exacerbate these hazards is potentially lethal. The truth is this: If it is implemented - people will die in future wildfires.     

 

“So my message to the legislators and government is: Tear it up now, as I tore up the absurd attack on our fishermen…Instead, work with keepers and land managers to harness their expertise in muirburn to help keep the countryside safe: If First Minister John Swinney- who well knows all of this - allows this legislative folly to go ahead, he will have blood on his hands.

 

“I fear that, in future, wildfires - and sadly, yes, there will be more - lives will be lost and possibly even on a scale we have seen in many other countries.   

 

“But today I offer my heartfelt thanks to all at the SGA for this award. I will treasure it.”