Fire chiefs have issued an 'extreme' wildfire risk warning for parts of Scotland amid a mini-heatwave this week.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) issued an alert for the Central, South and North areas as temperatures reach up to 20.1C. It will last for the duration of today, Wednesday, April 19 and end tomorrow, Thursday, April 20.
SFRS crews say a mixture of strong winds, rising temperatures and low humidity levels pose a dangerously high risk for the blazes to break out. The spring conditions combined with large areas of dead grass and vegetation means a heightened risk of ignition.
Scots who live, work or who are visiting rural areas have been warned to exercise the utmost caution to avoid fires breaking out.
SFRS Station Commander, John Harvey said: “The threat of wildfire is very real, and we would therefore ask our communities to act safely and responsibly while in the countryside. Wildfire can devastate large areas of our environment and wildlife and has the potential to spread to nearby communities.
"We are asking people to act responsibly when enjoying the outdoors, dispose of cigarettes carefully and please think twice before using anything involving a naked flame."
Meanwhile, colder weather is forecasted for next week. According to WXCharts weather maps, a band of snow will arrive in Northern parts of Scotland this weekend.
Further information on how to reduce the risk of wildfire can be found on our website.
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