Dava wildfire timeline shows more than two days of devastation
More than two days after a devastating wildfire began to take hold on the Moray border, we have collected the key developments in the story so far.
At around around 4.05pm, on Saturday, June 28, a fire on the A939 near Dava was reported to the emergency services.
Within hours, Police Scotland confirmed that the flames have led to the closure of the A939 between Grantown and Ferness, with the A940 closed at Dava and the B9007 closed between Ferness and Duthill.
Members of the public in areas hit by smoke are asked to keep their windows and doors closed.
One eyewitness also described walls of flame reaching 50 feet into the air during the early stages of the blaze.
The next day (Sunday, June 29), crews remained on site battling the blaze.
All road closures were still in force, blocking off a number of important south-bound links for Moray and the Highlands.
At 11.27am, we reported satelite imagery indicating that the wildfire had surged to become around six miles long as it continued to advance across the moorland.
Yesterday morning (June 30) Forres and Elgin residents awoke to news of a police warning, urging them to keep their windows and doors shut.
Clouds of smoke were clearly visible from Lossiemouth, dozens of miles north of the fire, and even from across the Moray Firth.
Just after 10am we reported on shocking footage, shared by a Nairn fire crew, which clearly showed the devastation caused by the fire as it reached a windfarm on the Dava.
A wall of flame can be seen encircling the firefighters, as they continue operating in the difficult conditions.
In the early afternoon, we confirmed that road closures linked to the fire continue to be in force, after Police confirmed the ongoing disruption on the key routes.
Photographs taken by Councillor Draeyk van der Horn, of Moray Council, also clearly showed the devastating scale of the wildfires in the Carrbridge and Dava areas.
Just before 2pm, we revealed that another two wildfires had been reported in Moray.
The two blazes, in Alves and Dallas, were attended by fire crews even while countless firefighters remained at the larger blaze on the Dava.
A call has also been issued, for volunteers across Scotland with ATVs or fogging units, tractors with flails or water tanks to come support the efforts of firefighters.
Volunteers were asked to meet in the Square, in Grantown-on-Spey, to receive directions from firefighters.
And, just before 5pm yesterday (Monday, June 30) Moray Council’s leader Councillor Kathleen Robertson confirmed that staff had not been stood up for an emergency response in relation to the wildfire.
The councillor also paid tribute to those involved in the battle against the blaze, while offering several pieces of key advice to the public.
We are working to bring you the latest on this developing story.
