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A moorland blaze was burning today (Wed) above one of the top tourist spots in the Western Isles.

A plume of smoke from the blaze on a ridge by the stretching sands of Garry Beach north of New Tolsta on the east side of Lewis soared nearly 1,000 metres into the sky.

The fire above the Bridge to Nowhere which peters out at an unfinished track to Ness was literally at the end of the road making it impossible to get water pumps anywhere near.

Fire crews with long-poled beaters waded uphill through knee-high heather to reach the large ring of fire. Hours later the descent was much easier after the flames razed the growth to the scorched earth.

Strenuous fire-fighting efforts were hampered by the flames racing ahead by the dry east wind which created a tinder dry moor over the last two days.

Ironically, despite the sunshine and dry weather, sheets of ice formed over freshwater lochs nearby.

The alarm was raised around 8.40pm this morning and around noon over twenty exhausted fire fighters returned from to the fleet of four fire-tenders at road level.

With the bulk of the island without adequate fire cover, the fire-engines returned to base leaving the fire to burn.

No property or life was in any danger, though the burning clumps of grass and heather created a long grey cloud blowing from east to west coast and rising to the rear of Muirneag - soaring about four times the hill’s height of 248 metres.

 

 

 

 

Large wildfire burns over North Tolsta               27/3/13

Hebrides News: Tolsta fire