Island wildfires stretch blaze teams to the limit

Firefighting resources across the Western Isles have been stretched to the limit over the last few days by wildfires on the outskirts of Stornoway.

A spokeswoman for Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service (HIFRS) said most of the crews on the islands had been involved in fighting the fires, which destroyed around 1,100 yards by 650 yards of rough ground and forestry land on the edge of Lews Castle Grounds.

She said: “We’ve used most of the crews on the Western Isles at some point over the period, either for fighting the fire or on standby to cover for crews attending the incident.”

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