Emergency services have declared a major incident as they continue to battle a wildfire that has been burning in Scotland's Cairngorms National Park for 10 days. As a result, some residents in the village of Nethy Bridge have been evacuated as a precautionary measure.

The wildfire, which has been ongoing for a significant period, escalated to a point where authorities deemed it necessary to declare a major incident. This designation allows for the mobilization of additional resources and a coordinated response from multiple agencies.

Police Scotland stated that the decision to declare a major incident and evacuate residents was made after evidence emerged on Friday night suggesting the fire was spreading towards Nethy Bridge. A spokesperson confirmed that residents are being directed to a dedicated respite centre at the Macdonald Aviemore Hotel, and access roads into the village have been closed.

First Minister John Swinney, who convened a meeting of the Scottish government's resilience committee, indicated that enhanced police and fire service resources are being deployed to aid in the evacuation efforts. He stressed the importance of the public avoiding the affected areas.

"The wind has changed direction overnight, which means the track of the fire has altered once again and the threat to Nethy Bridge has reduced, for the moment at least," Swinney stated. Ground and helicopter crews are concentrating on the fire's current path, with new fire breaks being constructed to contain its spread. Smoke from the wildfire is now visible as far as 59 miles away in Aberdeen, a consequence of the altered wind direction.

Further evacuations were reported for residents living north-west of Dorback Lodge at Lain Thatchan, with those in Tomintoul advised to keep windows and doors closed due to smoke. A local resident expressed disappointment, suggesting that the major incident declaration and enhanced response should have occurred sooner.

Richard Eccles, a guest house owner in Nethy Bridge, described being given options by police on Friday night, including staying put, relocating with family, or moving to emergency accommodation. He and his wife opted to remain at their property for the time being but are prepared to leave at short notice if the situation deteriorates. Eccles also noted that a wedding planned for Castle Roy, near the village, has been cancelled due to the wildfire and evacuations.

Eccles criticized the government's response, stating it felt like "closing the stable door now that the horse has bolted," implying that action should have been taken earlier, possibly with military assistance, before the fire spread significantly.