Vast swathes of the Highlands are in urgent need of volunteers to plug big gaps at retained fire stations.
North Caithness and northwest Sutherland are the most needy – in particular Bettyhill, Tongue, Scourie and Lochinver.
Elsewhere, Cannich, Drumnadrochit and Foyers are anxious to attract new recruits.
The service’s new area manager John MacDonald said: “It’s a perennial issue.
“The only place we’re not struggling is Fort William and Inverness. Urbanised areas tend not to be so challenging.
“There are people who can give us cover between 5pm and 7am. We’ve already got them, they’re not necessarily the people we’re looking for. It’s availability for daytime working hours, that’s what we’re looking for.”
The service needs men or women able to commit to daytime cover, over the age of 18, who pass a medical.
New recruits would have an initial 10 days’ basic training followed by specialist training that includes the use of breathing apparatus and specific skills such as first aid.
Recruits need to be physically fit and reasonably dextrous to do the job as well as having an ability to work as a member of a team.
They will get a retaining fee of about £3,500 per year plus payment for weekly training and separate payments for call-outs to incidents.
“It’s not just about the money. It’s about what they can give back to the community,” Mr MacDonald said.
“There are lots of benefits and the big thing is providing their community a service.”
Almost half of the 52 retained station in Highland are seeking new blood.
Each appliance requires a minimum of four qualified crew.
The serviced particularly wants to hear from potential recruits in Caithness – Dunbeath and John O’Groats; Sutherland – Bettyhill, Lochinver, Scourie, Bonar Bridge and Tongue; Inverness-shire – Cannich and Foyers; Badenoch & Strathspey – Grantown-on-Spey; Lochaber – Acharacle, Kilchoan, Kinlochleven, Lochaline, Mallaig and Strontian; Ross and Cromarty – Glenelg, Invergordon, Kinlochewe, Lochcarron; and Skye – Broadford, Dunvegan, Raasay, Staffin and Uig.
