Firefighters tackle Highlands wildfire that may become UK’s largest ever

A Nasa worldview satellite photograph shows the plume of smoke from the fire at Cannich, in the hills above Loch Ness in the Highlands, drifting towards the loch on Monday. Photograph: Nasa/PA

Firefighters have spent four days battling a wildfire in the Scottish Highlands that officials believe is on its way to becoming the largest by area on record in the UK and which has been photographed from space.

The fire broke out at Cannich near Inverness on Sunday and has grown to an area measuring roughly 8km by 8km (24 square miles). Two firefighters were injured on Tuesday after being in an accident in their all-terrain vehicle while tackling the blaze. They have since been discharged from the hospital, the community safety minister, Siobhian Brown, said in the Scottish parliament on Wednesday.