New bylaw to crack down on campfires in Cairngorms

The Cairngorms National Park Authority's board has agreed to the introduction of a new bylaw designed to help reduce the risk of wildfires.

Campfires have been blamed for incidents in the park in the past.

A public consultation on the draft wording of the seasonal fire management bylaw is to be held in September, before the Scottish government is asked to approve it.

The park authority (CNPA) said it would not cover muirburns because of new national licencing conditions on controlled burning of moorland.

A 10-week consultation was held earlier this year on bringing in a bylaw.

CNPA received 1,664 responses from residents, businesses, land managers and visitors with 79% of all respondents in favour of it.

Convener Sandy Bremner said: "We believe that a seasonal byelaw combines the best elements of what people were looking for - relative simplicity for communication and understanding, and not being too heavy handy in covering months when there is far less recreational fire activity.”

The Cairngorms is the UK's biggest national park and includes parts of the Highlands, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Perthshire and Moray.