Campfire and barbeque ban to come into force at UK's largest national park this week

A new law banning the use of campfires and barbeques in the UK's largest national park will come into force this week.

The seasonal ban at Cairngorms National Park will be enforced between 1 April and 30 September in a bid to reduce the risk of wildfires. Those found breaking the rules could face a fine of up to £500.

The byelaw comes less than two weeks after the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) issued its first official wildfire warning of 2026 for the north and northeast of the country. Sandy Bremner, convener at Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA), said: "We want people to keep enjoying all that the national park offers but we also need everyone to help protect it.

"We know it only takes one rogue spark to start a wildfire and when there is so much to lose, we can't take that risk." 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 offers sanctuary to around 25% of the UK's rarest species, such as the capercaillie grouse, which experts say is on the verge of extinction in Scotland, and the Scottish wildcat, known as the Highland Tiger, which is considered critically endangered.

The national park, which covers parts of the Highlands, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Angus and Perthshire, also features around half of Scotland's ancient pinewoods. Wildfires can start in several ways - including from natural causes such as lightning, as well as man-made causes, such as visitors lighting campfires, or from muirburn that gets out of control.

Last year, the SFRS responded to more than 200 wildfires across Scotland. These included what was said to have been the largest wildfire ever recorded in the UK, around Carrbridge and Dava Moor in the Highlands.

The byelaw was approved by Scottish government ministers in 2025 following a lengthy consultation - in which 79% of the 1,600 respondents supported the introduction of a seasonal fire ban. The byelaw will not prevent the use of a camping stove, provided it is used appropriately.

Roadside signs, leaflets, social media and local business support will be used to help promote the ban - with the message of "protect our national park. No flame, no spark".

CNPA said more than 100 countryside rangers, which is a record number, will be deployed across the region this summer and there will also be joint patrols with Police Scotland at key hotspots. Read more from Sky News:Sycamore Gap tree sapling planted in national parkParents' campaign to ensure nursery safety child's death SFRS area commander Robert Lennox said: "Wildfires pose a real risk to people, properties and nature.

"Each wildfire we respond to can have a significant impact on our resources and these incidents are often in remote locations, which take time to reach. "Extreme weather events are becoming more common across Scotland, and we know that communities in the Cairngorms have felt this acutely in recent years, with floods, drought and wildfires.

"This byelaw is an important new tool to tackle wildfire risk and safeguard the national park.".