King Charles III visits wildfire-damaged Cairngorms

King Charles III visited the Cairngorms in Scotland on Wednesday to express his gratitude to the firefighters, volunteers, and landowners who fought major wildfires earlier this summer.

The blaze, which began in the Glenmore area near Aviemore on July 15, burned for nearly five weeks and consumed approximately 3,300 hectares of land. The firefighting efforts involved more than 500 personnel and required the evacuation of homes, businesses, campsites, and a ski resort.

During his visit to An Lochan Uaine, also known as the Green Lochan, the King observed the damage to the landscape. In a statement, he expressed that he and Queen Camilla were “appalled by the devastating impact of wildfires this summer and the terrible destruction they have caused to homes, livelihoods and landscapes,” noting the impact across the United Kingdom and other regions of Europe.