Wildfire warnings issued during spell of warm weather

Wildfire warnings have been issued for parts of Scotland as much of the country sees a spell of warm, dry weather.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) - in conjunction with the Scottish Wildfire Forum (SWF) - said there was a "very high" risk in south-west Scotland on Thursday.

Then, from Friday to Monday, there is a similar warning in place for central and eastern parts of the country.

SFRS head of prevention Kenny Barbour said those in the affected areas should avoid lighting outdoor fires as "even a single spark can quickly escalate, causing widespread damage".

He added: "Taking simple precautions can help prevent devastating damage."

Barbour asked people to share the warnings with family, friends and visitors in order to get the message out.

Anyone who spots a wildfire should report it immediately by calling 999.

The warning comes just days after a fire on Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh.

At its height, three teams and specialist wild fire resources were battling the blaze which broke out on Monday.

Firefighters remained at the scene on Tuesday as dampening down operations continued.

Last year, two fathers and their sons were airlifted to safety from a hillside wildfire during a camping trip in Dumfries and Galloway.

The incident in the Galloway Forest Park near Newton Stewart caused widespread damage.