More than 50 firefighters, seven fire engines and a number of specialist resources remain in attendance near Golspie as firefighters battle to extinguish the flames.

Crews were first called to the scene at 12.04am on Saturday, July 7.

Deputy Assistant Chief Officer John MacDonald said: “Crews have made some good progress overnight and firefighters are currently deployed across the incident ground to dampen down hot spots.

“However, we will continue to closely monitor the area as these hot spots could potentially flare up again.  

“I would like to thank our crews on the ground for their sterling efforts, the wider community for their continued support and the work of our partners.”

There is currently a wildfire warning in place until Wednesday, July 11.

SFRS Area Manager Bruce Farquharson is the Chair of the Scottish Wildfire Forum.

He said: "As the warm and dry weather continues, so too does the risk of wildfire.

“We have seen in recent weeks just how large these fires can become - many rural and remote communities are hugely impacted by these incidents, which can cause significant environmental and economic damage.

"Livestock, farmland, wildlife, protected woodland and sites of special scientific interest can all be devastated by these fires - as can the lives of people living and working in rural communities.

“We are appealing to people to take great care – it is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments and follow the countryside code.

"Just one heat source like a campfire ember can cause it to ignite and if the wind changes direction even the smallest fire can spread uncontrollably and devastate entire hillsides."

The SFRS works closely with land managers, communities and other safety partners to prevent these incidents ever occurring.

For further advice and information about wildfires and how to prevent them visit: /your-safety/wildfires.aspx or www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/