THE UK Government has been urged to "step up" and increase its defence capabilities following its response to the Cairngorms wildfire.
SNP MP Graham Leadbitter, who represents Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey, said he was "deeply concerned" that the UK Government was unable to provide water-bombing helicopters to tackle the wildfire.
So far more than 500 firefighters have been deployed to fight the blaze, which has devastated an estimated 25 square kilometres of land since it started on July 15.
The Scottish Government had asked the UK Government to intervene and provide aerial water-bombing support, but was told that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) did not have such equipment.
Instead, UK ministers offered support including Chinook helicopters and army personnel, which First Minister John Swinney said was unnecessary.
In a letter to Defence Secretary Wes Streeting on Tuesday, Leadbitter said that it is "abundantly clear" that alongside tackling foreign threats, the UK Government needs "to bolster our domestic defence capability to protect from a new type of threat", climate change.
"I was deeply concerned that the UK had no waterbombing helicopters available in its fleet to support the firefighting efforts in the Cairngorms recently," Leadbitter wrote.
"These types of aircraft would’ve delivered game-changing support in a firefighting effort that lasted weeks and saw a significant area of the Cairngorms National Park burn.
"As the effects of the climate crisis get closer and closer to home it’s important we step up our domestic defence capabilities to ensure we can protect our communities from environmental threats just as well as we can from military threats."
Leadbitter urged the Defence Secretary to "consider the procurement of more firefighting helicopters and aircraft".
He continued: "There are many lessons to be learned from this wildfire from both governments.
"I’m grateful that the Scottish Government has announced a review into our wildfire strategy, one I hope the UK Government will engage constructively in and take on board the proposals and suggestions that come from it."
The SNP MP also offered to meet with the Defence Secretary to discuss the issue further.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “The Government has said that we will support the Scottish Government and emergency services in any way we can to help tackle wildfires.
“Civilian authorities can request military assistance through established processes.”
