A leading golf course has been hit by “malicious” whin bush fires for the second time in two months.
Volunteer firefighters were called out to outbreaks on the 3rd, 4th, 17th and 18th holes on Royal Dornoch Golf Club’s Championship Course today.
In March the club reported that fires were deliberately set in the whin bushes in the area of the 17th fairway and 18th tee. Then, more fires were started at the 18th tee and 16th green which meant the Dornoch Fire Service returning along with colleagues from Tain.
Club general manager Neil Hampton said today: “We didn’t think that having experienced this once already this year, less than two months ago, we would need to report more fires in the whin bushes on the Championship Course.
“Again we are distraught that our vital emergency services are called out to deal with needless and malicious acts like this while the world suffers from much greater matters affecting our lives.
“The pattern was the same as before with more bushes being set alight once the fire service had stood down, necessitating them coming out again. Given the proximity to the houses, if the fires had not been spotted the consequences could have been devastating.
“The fires will not affect the playing of the holes and the bushes will regenerate but the waste of time and resources will not.”
The club asked anyone with information about the fires to call 101.
A fire service spokesman said the alarm was raised at 2.16am today and nine fire fighters from Dornoch and Tain attended.
In April Nairn Golf Club reported that gorse bushes, trees and a shelter had been set on fire.