Severe risk of wild fires in Highlands remains

Firefighters beating flames in Torridon, one of the incidents now dealt with

Firefighters have warned of a continuing "severe" risk of grass fires after battling to bring a series of blazes under control in the Highlands.

Over the past week crews from Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service (HIFRS) have attended 60 wildfires.

It is thought the fires have caused at least £100,000 worth of damage.

A spokesman said the largest incidents had now been contained, including a fire at Inverkirkaig where a helicopter was used to water-bomb the site.

Crews have also been fighting a fire near a railway line at Lochailort. ScotRail said services were unaffected.

And firefighters were also protecting a property from a fire at Salen, near Fort William.

Two appliances were sent to a fire on high ground in Kinlochleven and a large grass fire on the Sheil Peninsula in Lochaber, where some properties may have been at risk.

Crews have brought a fire between Loch Shiel and Achnacart quarry under control.

Firefighters have been stood down from an incident in Torridon, the scene of large wild fire.

After days of battling to control the flames, using both beaters and helicopters dropping water, the worst blazes have been extinguished.

Homes were evacuated over the past five days and the A82 was closed briefly.

Efforts will now get under way to assess the scale of the damage as forest regeneration projects, croft land and sensitive environmental sites with rare wildlife have all been hit.