Current status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commission research comparing vegetation and fuel loads across Scotland during the drought and wildfires of 2026 with those recorded during the drought of 1976, including through the use of LiDAR data, satellite imagery and historic land-management records.
The Scottish Government does not intend to commission research to compare vegetation and fuel loads across Scotland during the drought and wildfires of 2026 with those recorded during the drought of 1976, including through the use of LiDAR data, satellite imagery and historic land-management records.
It is unlikely that there are sufficient detailed datasets available for either year to support meaningful comparisons. Consequently, it would not possible to undertake a robust assessment or draw reliable conclusions based on the data available.