Firefighters contain wildfire within Cairngorms National Park

Emergency crews have contained a wildfire in the UK's largest national park – with the blaze currently affecting a near four-mile wide area.

A number of homes and businesses - including campsites - within the Glenmore Forest Park area of Cairngorms National Park have been evacuated as a precaution.

Cairngorm Mountain Resort also advised on Thursday morning it would not be opening due to road closures by Police Scotland and urged visitors to stay away.

The wildfire started in heathland at Ryvoan Bothy, near Nethy Bridge, late on Wednesday morning.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said the blaze has affected a 3.7 miles-wide area (6km) of heather and small trees.

Justice Secretary Neil Gray said it is "currently contained thanks to the exceptional work of firefighters", as he praised all those who have provided support.

He said the Scottish government was continuing to "monitor the situation closely".

RSPB Scotland earlier called for urgent helicopter assistance to bring the fire under control.

A spokesperson said: "We have no helicopter support, as we believe they are all deployed to England and Wales fighting wildfires down there."

There have been no reports of any casualties.

Multiple fire engines and vehicles remained at the scene on Thursday as SFRS continued to work with landowners and local authorities to extinguish the flames.

Ian McMeekin, deputy assistant chief officer of SFRS, said it is too early to determine what may have caused the fire.

A "very high risk of wildfire" warning is currently in place for central Highlands, southern and eastern Scotland.

Mr McMeekin thanked all those providing help, adding: "The safety of our communities remains our priority, and we will continue to assess the need for any further evacuations alongside multi-agency partners as the incident progresses.

"The wildfire risk across Scotland remains high. We are asking everyone to follow the advice in place, stay away from the affected area and help reduce the risk of further wildfires while our crews continue their work to bring this incident to a safe conclusion."

A Clackmannanshire family had been enjoying a getaway at Glenmore Campsite when the situation turned sour.

Mother, Deborah, told Sky News they could see the smoke from Loch Morlich late Wednesday afternoon, but "it seemed so far away".

By 8.15pm, the road outside the campsite had been closed off and by the time they walked back to their camper van the smoke was "a lot worse".

Deborah said: "We decided to pack up and were just about to leave when they came round and were evacuating everyone from the site.

"It got scary very quickly - emergency workers and vehicles on the campsite and people running around packing up. My four-year-old was in tears and scared by the situation.

"The smoke was over our heads by about 8.50pm."

The family has since returned home.

Kevin Jolly, also from Clackmannanshire, was enjoying a family trip before being told to evacuate from Glenmore Campsite.

He told Sky News: "We were told to grab valuables and leave everything else.

"We were told to meet at the Macdonald hotel in Aviemore, where they provided tea, coffee and blankets, and let people sleep in the hall. They also put the cinema on for the kids.

"The police told us to go home this morning - and we might be able to collect our tent and belongings in a couple of days.

"Some people left their cars and mountain rescue took them to the hotel. Now they are stranded and can't get back for cars."

Duncan Ferguson, who lives in Glenmore and is an operations manager at Spey Fishery Board, said police came to his house during the afternoon, telling residents to "leave your pets and go".

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Cairngorms National Park - established in 2003 and the largest in the UK - is home to around 18,000 people and welcomes about two million visitors a year.

It covers parts of the Highlands, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Angus and Perthshire.

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