View Full Version : dunnet head
I see and hear the hill at Dunnett Head is on fire again last night, this seems to be a regular thing. I did hear once its a way of improving the new growth of heather.
buggyracer
14-Apr-09, 09:04
it is the time of year for heather burning and certainly the waether for it.
If you look up 'muirburn' on Google gives full details...
Westsider3
14-Apr-09, 13:02
This fire was started accidently though and has burned a fairly large area now. Thankfully the wind is carrying the smoke out to sea and not inland!!
Ah that's why I heard the fire engine going through Castletown yesterday.
northener
14-Apr-09, 15:15
This fire was started accidently though and has burned a fairly large area now. Thankfully the wind is carrying the smoke out to sea and not inland!!
Unfortunately, that is not was I was told by a resident at Brough today when we went for a walk up to the old radar station. Allegedly the fire was deliberate and the police have been informed. Two fire tenders in attendance, but not much you can do as it is on a very large scale.
A large part of the moorland has been destroyed and it aint over yet. Right at the start of the breeding season for ground-dwelling birds too. Brilliant.
Westsider3
14-Apr-09, 17:02
Unfortunately, that is not was I was told by a resident at Brough today when we went for a walk up to the old radar station. Allegedly the fire was deliberate and the police have been informed. Two fire tenders in attendance, but not much you can do as it is on a very large scale.
A large part of the moorland has been destroyed and it aint over yet. Right at the start of the breeding season for ground-dwelling birds too. Brilliant.
As far as I know, and it came from the horse's mouth, it was an accident with a chainsaw whilst cutting back whins. But the community politics in Brough are strained so I can imagine the stories will be rife!! No one will know the real story but it is fun for some to make one up!
corrievannie
14-Apr-09, 21:59
I am hoping you can see a pic of the firehttp://%3ca%20href=/http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu214/corrievannie/IMG_9290.jpg
Such a pretty picture:lol:
Pity it was an accident that could give rise to spectacular displays on the hills like that..... and the damage afterwards.....
It is so very sad that so much wildlife have been killed and more so as it is the breeding time.
My Son took a Video and posted it on YouTube. Here is a Link to it :-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtM4w63aej8&feature=channel_page
Funny how it's accidentaly so regular, it disgusts me how much habitat and wildlife is destroyed at breeding season.
This is so sad, hope no1's homes are close to it. I am not sure if I am seeing things or not but I am sure I am seeing lots of flames tonight....I thought it had calmed down today but seems to be back bad again?!
Kxxx
topotheuk
15-Apr-09, 20:47
Jees I have just looked out my window and yes it is ablaze. It has been smoking away all day and now I see lots of flames. It is like the photograph posted earlier :(
Its very sad, here is the view from Scrabster this evening.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f170/kasm/Dhead.jpg
Tugmistress
15-Apr-09, 21:45
Not long got back from there after going up to take a look and some photo's - Kas, i thought it was picking up as i left, your photo shows that in detail!
http://community.dcmag.co.uk/photos/tugmistresss_gallery/images/979038/640x426.aspx
been asked by someone living up there when it will rain as he thinks that's the only way it will be put out :( - well we might get a little drizzle tomorrow, but i can't see that being enough, the next little bit is monday and again that could quite easily miss us!
topotheuk
15-Apr-09, 21:46
Just went up a look and the fire stretches from behind the house at the northern gate right over to the far side of the head. It's such a shame
corrievannie
15-Apr-09, 22:19
Looking on the bright side it will create a good habitat on the edges for young birds.... cover for nesting but young shoots and more insects etc in the new growth; and the deadline for 'legal' muirburn is today, so though it is still burning now there will still be plenty of time to nest succesfully............ and the ticks will be frazzled, which has to be a good thing as they can fairly suck the life out of young birds. Unfortunately the centre of the area will seem fairly barren to begin with..... so not ALL bad I suppose??!! :confused
EEK!!!!!!!!!! Hope it doesn't get this far.
Here's a view taken from Murkle looking North!! This looks pretty serious stuff to me.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh116/deemac1965/Misc%20Images/40DA_8865edit1_NRSm.jpg
This fire has been threatening homes and may again if the wind changes. It seems the locals know who started it but of course the police won't act without proof. What they need now is a good downpour to finally put it out but in the meantime the destruction of wildlife is terrible and I feel so sorry for those living near who must be in fear all the time of the wind changing direction.
As far as I know, and it came from the horse's mouth, it was an accident with a chainsaw whilst cutting back whins. But the community politics in Brough are strained so I can imagine the stories will be rife!! No one will know the real story but it is fun for some to make one up!
Excuse my ignorance, but would someone explain how the chainsaw started the fire, as I believe chainsaws are used for cutting down trees as they don't put forests on fire.
buddyrich
16-Apr-09, 13:56
EEK!!!!!!!!!! Hope it doesn't get this far.
Is it up as far as your place? It's difficult to tell from the top of the town but it looks like it's dying off this morning.
Is it up as far as your place? It's difficult to tell from the top of the town but it looks like it's dying off this morning.
No, we are still alive and intact. It has died a little today but we are praying that the wind doesn't change direction. It is heart-breaking to see the desoltation.:~(
I've used a chainsaw for 35 years and think it is extremely unlikely that it could inadvertently ignite vegetation and have never heard of such a thing before. If this was a possibilty saws would come with a warning re woodland use!
Tugmistress
16-Apr-09, 14:49
No, we are still alive and intact. It has died a little today but we are praying that the wind doesn't change direction. It is heart-breaking to see the desoltation.:~(
yes i agree, been up again today and took some more shots
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3403/3446825683_67174f976c.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3317/3447639132_a3148875b1.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/74442884@N00/)
Tugmistress
16-Apr-09, 14:51
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3386/3447639318_1c4bea079c.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3407/3447639656_45bce644b9.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3626/3446825049_d8c47c2757.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/74442884@N00/)
changilass
16-Apr-09, 14:53
Pictures one and two look like they could have been taken on a lunar landing, its so sad.
Westsider3
16-Apr-09, 18:10
Excuse my ignorance, but would someone explain how the chainsaw started the fire, as I believe chainsaws are used for cutting down trees as they don't put forests on fire.
I am not an expert on chainsaws and I am only repeating what I was told. As far as I am aware, the exhaust fell off the chainsaw and there were sparks that caught in the whins. The fire took hold immediately. The person involved contacted both the fire brigade and police straight away.
I believe that there were fresh fires started deliberately yesterday in the hill by someone else.
It is unfortunate that such a huge area of hill has been burnt but some of the blame has to lie with the fact that a certain landowner would not allow controlled burning by the Crofter's Commission. Had this been allowed then there would have been belts of hill land that would not have burned as they would have new growth on them and the fire would have died out very quickly. Luckily there has been no damage to any property this far and fingers crossed for it to burn out tonight.
flowertot
16-Apr-09, 20:02
I noticed tonight, that there is still large patches that are on fire and doesn't look like dying off.
It is such shame, but hopefully nobody has been hurt tending to the fires!!!!
George Brims
16-Apr-09, 20:45
This raises a question. Many years ago my dad was burning heather in what was supposed to be a controlled fashion, but a wind change caused it to get out of hand. It burned a fair bit of land, and involved the participation of the fire brigade. It turned out that the last date on which it was legal to "mak muirburn" had been changed that year, and he got a police warning for the mistake. Now with the warming of the climate we often read of birds nesting earlier than in times past. Anyone know if the date has been moved again to accommodate that?
Westsider3
16-Apr-09, 21:11
Unfortunately, that is not was I was told by a resident at Brough today when we went for a walk up to the old radar station. Allegedly the fire was deliberate and the police have been informed. Two fire tenders in attendance, but not much you can do as it is on a very large scale.
A large part of the moorland has been destroyed and it aint over yet. Right at the start of the breeding season for ground-dwelling birds too. Brilliant.
it never hurt the hill one bit nearly 20 years since it was burnt on this scale its only one day past burning cut off
Same thing happened to me when I was burning the heather on my ground with my young boys and the wind suddenly got up, and the fire started to surround us I managed to carry my boys to safty, but the fire spread onto neighbouring land etc and there was nothing I could do I had a whole fire engine team and loads of friends trying to help get it out. It took hours as soon as we would think it was out it would relight itself somewhere else it was awful. Good thing that came out of it was the neighbouring land hadnt been burned in years and by summer it had lots of gorgeous flowers and green grass and Im almost certain it was tick free:)
I am not an expert on chainsaws and I am only repeating what I was told. As far as I am aware, the exhaust fell off the chainsaw and there were sparks that caught in the whins. The fire took hold immediately. The person involved contacted both the fire brigade and police straight away.
I believe that there were fresh fires started deliberately yesterday in the hill by someone else.
It is unfortunate that such a huge area of hill has been burnt but some of the blame has to lie with the fact that a certain landowner would not allow controlled burning by the Crofter's Commission. Had this been allowed then there would have been belts of hill land that would not have burned as they would have new growth on them and the fire would have died out very quickly. Luckily there has been no damage to any property this far and fingers crossed for it to burn out tonight.
Ignorance/poor maintenace caused part of this fire? the person involved should be sent at least part of the bill for the fire brigade.
And as for the deliberate fires is that not what northerner was on about (by the way good to see you back northerner, have you got the yellow wellies ready for the summer?)
An exhaust doesn't just suddenly fall of anything without a good noisy warning that it is coming loose and needs to be fixed. They also don't run so hot that they can cause ignition to vegetation because your hand is right next door. This is just so much bunkum, or you might say, a smokescreen!
An exhaust doesn't just suddenly fall of anything without a good noisy warning that it is coming loose and needs to be fixed. They also don't run so hot that they can cause ignition to vegetation because your hand is right next door. This is just so much bunkum, or you might say, a smokescreen!
Perhaps it was one of those Old Fashioned Chain Saws, "Steam Powered" and a piece of Hot Coal fell out of the Boiler. :lol:
buddyrich
17-Apr-09, 13:07
Someone raised the question the other day of peat burning under the ground. I scoffed a bit-peat needs to be cut out, lifted and dried for some time before it'll burn, no? It's basically dried bog-vegetation.
Today i was reading Bill Bryson's Appalachian Trail book and he discovers a town that had to be evacuated because a fire set alight the coal-seam that the town was built on. Apparently the underground fires might burn for 1000 years, so abundant is the area with anthracite.
Which isnt that relevant to dunnet head but quite interesting nonetheless.
northener
17-Apr-09, 13:24
Someone raised the question the other day of peat burning under the ground. I scoffed a bit-peat needs to be cut out, lifted and dried for some time before it'll burn, no? It's basically dried bog-vegetation.
Today i was reading Bill Bryson's Appalachian Trail book and he discovers a town that had to be evacuated because a fire set alight the coal-seam that the town was built on. Apparently the underground fires might burn for 1000 years, so abundant is the area with anthracite.
Which isnt that relevant to dunnet head but quite interesting nonetheless.
Peat certainly can burn underground - but not as deep as the good quality damp peat. It tends to be in the more dried out region just below the surface.
Back in the 70's I was involved with a number of moor fires on West Nab in West Yorkshire through controlled burning getting out of hand or deliberate firestarting.
You'd beat out one area only to find the next day that the ground that had been beaten out and was now upwind of the burning area would be smouldering again. A bit of a breeze could be enough to re-start the fire. Dig down a few inches and occasionally you'd find the peat smouldering away.
The worst one was in the Summer of 76 (IIRC). It had been red-hot and dry for a long period of time, so the peat was dry a lot deeper than usual. We lost around 1500-2000 acres and it burned on and off for about 6 weeks (IIRC) - I would guess that is roughly what's been taken out at Dunnet head.
Dog-eared
17-Apr-09, 15:50
Peat certainly can burn underground and it's worth bearing this in mind if on Dunnett hill.
I've seen quite big "pots" of burning peat - big enough to fall into.
Everytime i journey out to the lighthouse to grace Gleber2 with my prescense we pass all the little Rabbits and what have you, where will they be now, and what of all the Birdies, the cool little Puffins :~(.
im sure some heads will roll because of this!!!!!
Looking at Tug's photos again the pale orange ash is typical fine, burnt peat ash which you get when you empty the grate and next to it you can see the newly exposed scree and bedrock.
It takes a very hot fire to actually set the peat under the heather ablaze and without any growing medium left behind it is going to take many many years before soil/peat and more vegetation builds up again with shelter for small and not so small birds particularly in a location as exposed as Dunnet Head. In the 60's I can remember watching a fire burn on Morven for 3 weeks after it went underground.
In the midst of all the debate about who started the fire, and whether or not it was deliberate, accidental etc, i think we should congratulate those who have spent all week keeping the fire under control and putting it out.
The fire fighters from all brigades involved have spent a huge ammount of time actively fighting the fire, as well as monitoring it to ensure it doesn't cause a threat to houses etc.
Surely they need to be congratulated for all the hard work they put in to keeping everyone safe, and eventually brigning the blaze under control? i know the damege caused is awful, but just imagine how much worse it could have been if it reached houses etc?!?!?!
Considering the length of time this fire has been raging, and the numerous times they have been called out, i think they deserve a huge Well Done!
So very true farmer, well done to all those who helped. fantastic job done.
I heard the fire was started deliberatly too, .I seem to remember that there was a spate of fires supposidly started deliberatly in that area a few years ago.
butterfly
19-Apr-09, 13:02
So very true farmer, well done to all those who helped. fantastic job done.
I second that,they did a good job all week tackling that fire and protecting property and residents.
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