Revealed: Wildfire that raged for two days was started by

[Angus Og]

Revealed: Wildfire that raged for two days was started by camper trying to burn family's used toilet paper

A HAPLESS camper sparked a 1000-acre brush fire when he tried to burn his family's used toilet paper.

The blaze destroyed young trees and killed many ground-nesting birds and small animals.

Fire crews battled for two days to extinguish the fire at a cost of thousands of pounds.

The family of four, from Forfar, Angus - canoeists who had been camping on Loch Shiel - later turned up shocked and red-faced with embarrassment at Glenaladale Estate near Glenfinnan, Inverness-shire, to confess.

Yesterday, estate gamekeeper David MacAulay, 48, branded their actions "madness" and said: "They were absolutely devastated, and no wonder.

"From a few small, almost invisible, flames round the toilet paper the fire raced through the surrounding tinder-dry grass and heather into bushes and trees and up the hillside.

"More than 1000 acres were destroyed, including six enclosures we had created to regenerate the native woodland, like oak and Caledonian pine.

"Ground-nesting birds, rare mosses and many small animals would also have been written off." Glenaladale is a designated national scenic area and site of special scientific interest.

Scottish Natural Heritage will visit the area on Thursday.

Fire crews from Fort William and the villages of Spean Bridge, Acharacle and Strontian battled the wildfire for two days last weekend. Some had to be ferried up Loch Shiel in boats to fight the blaze.

David added: "The cost to the fire service would be about £14,000 and it cost our estate about £1000 in men and materials.

"The cause of the fire might give some people a laugh but it was madness to burn toilet paper in the bone-dry conditions. They should have buried it."

Fort William fire chief Mike Haigh said yesterday: "The cause of the fire is very unusual but from a small beginning a lot of damage was done.

"The man who started it was very contrite. He didn't have the foresight to realise what might happen."

The 10,000-acre Glenaladale estate is owned by Professor Hugh Cheape and his author wife Jane.

The Highlands have been plagued by wildfires in recent weeks, including a blaze at Kintail, Ross-shire, pictured.
Daily Record

 

[Bigfoot]

At least he had the decency to confess, many others would not have done.

It doesn't make the end result any better though

 

[DaveWL]

Got to say - a lot of credit to the guy for admitting his fault and mistake. Especially when the effects were so devastating.

 

[Neumo]

I must say I am not convinved by this 'buring of USED toilet paper' business & tea bags. You get people who say it will take 1000 years for them to Biodegrade. Trouble is that that the Toilet Roll was pateneted on July 25, 1871 by a US Inventor, Seth Wheeler and Tea Bags seem to originate in 1903 to 1908. So neither of them have been round for anything like 1000 years, SO HO DO THESE PEOPLE KNOW? I rest my case. Rant over.

On the Fire, I say well done to the guy for owning up to it as 99% of the rest of humanity would probably kept quiet; it may well cost him a 5 figure sum for being honest mind.

 

[Retired Member southey]

I'm with you neumo, is tissue paper? unless your pounding a whole roll in one poop just bury it with your doopdy.

 

[Neumo]

I know it is strange. The OP mentioned

he tried to burn his family's used toilet paper.

The thought of carry paper covered in some of your own 'doings' is bad enough but to carry someone else's as well.. Noooooo. They may be family but that aint right. Bury them where they fall, is what I say.